It's Blood Orange Season, with Sorbetto and Gelato!

Blood oranges are somewhat smaller than standard sweet oranges and typically sport a rough, somewhat dark skin.  They are offshoots, mutations of the standard sweet orange.  Higher in vitamin C than sweet oranges such as Navel and Valencia, their crimson color is a result of high levels of anthocyanin, an antioxidant.  My favorite, the Moro originated in Sicily.  It is the darkest red of the three varieties, and a bit more tart with hints of raspberry.  The other two major varieties, Tarocco and Sanguinello are less deeply colored, and rather more sweet.  All three varieties are easy to grow and make a beautiful addition to any garden or landscape setting.  If you would like to grow your own blood oranges, trees are available for purchase online from Four Winds Growers (www.fourwindsgrowers.com) in Winters, California and from local nurserymen.

Sorbetto is the simplest of frozen desserts.  A combination of sugar, in the form of simple syrup, and fresh fruit juice combine to give bright intense flavor.  Once you try this, you will want to experiment.  Try Meyer lemons, raspberries or blackberries.  The blood orange gelato is flavorful, and because of the high ratio of milk to cream, not at all heavy.  With it satiny texture and bright orange flavor it is sure to please.  Here too, you can experiment.  Fruits are particularly wonderful.  Any variety in season will delight.  Don’t be put off by the thought of making these desserts at home.  They really are simple to do, and the only fancy equipment you’ll need is a home ice cream or gelato maker. There are a number of very affordable units out there, Krups and Cuisinart among them.

Blood Orange Sorbetto 

2 cups blood orange juice

1 cup rich simple syrup

Make rich simple syrup:  This is double strength simple syrup, made with twice the amount of sugar as regular simple syrup.  Combine 1 cup granulated sugar and ½ cup water in small saucepan.  Over medium heat dissolve sugar, swirling pan occasionally.  Bring to boil.  Boil 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  Transfer to glass container to cool.  Cover tightly and refrigerate up to 1 week.

Make the sorbetto base: combine blood orange juice and 3/4 cup simple syrup.  Taste for sweetness, adding more simple syrup, if necessary.  Refrigerate until well chilled.  When chilled, place in gelato maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions.  Transfer to freezer container, cover tightly, and place in freezer to cure 2 hours prior to serving.  This sorbetto is best within 48 hours of being made.

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1/2  cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

5 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon blood orange zest

1/3 cup blood orange juice

Prepare an ice water bath.  For this you will need two bowls, one larger than the other.  Fill the larger bowl one third full with ice water.  Set both bowls aside.

Place milk, cream, granulated sugar and blood orange zest in saucepan over medium heat.  Stir to dissolve sugar and heat until small bubbles form around the edge of the saucepan.  Remove from heat, cover and set aside to steep 20 minutes.

Meanwhile separate eggs and place yolks in medium bowl, reserving whites for another use.  Beat yolks with a whisk until lightened, about 1 minute.

Reheat milk mixture.  Slowly add half of the milk mixture to the egg yolks, whisking continuously.  This will temper the yolks so that when you return the saucepan to the stove the egg yolks will not curdle.  Once half of the milk mixture has been added to the eggs, return the entire mixture to the saucepan and place over medium heat.  Cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon or reaches 160 degrees F.

Remove from heat and strain into the smaller of the two bowls.  Add blood orange juice, stirring to combine completely. Place bowl containing mixture over the bowl with the ice water, stirring occasionally to promote even cooling.  Be careful that no water spills into the bowl containing the milk mixture.  When cool, cover and transfer mixture to the refrigerator to chill completely.  This will yield about 3 1/2 cups of gelato base.  The base may be prepared up to 24 hours prior to churning.

Transfer mixture to gelato maker and churn according to manufacturer’s directions.  You may consume it immediately or place in freezer to cure 2 hours.  This gelato is best when consumed within 24 hours of churning.