You will need a medium pot, 3 measuring cups, and a bowl big enough to hold 3 cups/710ml liquid. Ideally one of the measuring cups will hold up to four cups, saving you washing up. If not, that’s fine. You will also need a medium saucepan.

You will also need a way to juice the oranges. I quartered them, then placed a small strainer over a measuring cup and squeezed orange quarters over the strainer. This was messy but effective. If you use this method, wear an apron and/or old clothes, as the juice spatters.

Juice enough oranges to measure 3/4 cup/160 ml orange juice. Set aside.

Measure one cup of cream and pour it into the pan. Add sugar to pan and turn heat to very low. Add pinch salt.

Measure remaining cream and milk into the creamy measuring cup and set aside. Turn your attention to the pot. Bring heat to medium and stir cream/sugar mixture a wooden spoon until sugar dissolves. Do not let milk boil. Once sugar is dissolved–4-5 minutes–remove pan from heat, stirring to help milk cool.

Set pot on wooden board or other heatproof surface. Add the extracts, stirring to blend.

Now tip contents of pan into the large bowl, stirring as soon as you can, allowing ingredients to blend.

Add the blood orange juice. It should tint the cream a lovely pale pink.

Allow the cream to cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate 4-24 hours.

If you are not using an ice cream maker:

Once the cream is completely cold, either freeze as is, or transfer to ramekins and freeze, covered.

If you are using an ice cream maker:

To freeze in ice cream maker, follow machine instructions. I find it helpful to have a bowl beside the ice cream maker. When it’s time to pour the ice cream into a container, I put the dasher into the nearby bowl. Less mess. Use a freezer safe container. Ideally this container should have lid, but foil or plastic wrap work, too.

Blood Orange Ice Cream will keep, frozen, about ten days.

Notes:

Substitute citrus fruit of your choice. Taste for sweetness; if using especially tart lemon or grapefruit, you may need to add more sugar.

I used baker’s sugar in this recipe. In the UK this is called caster sugar. Baker’s sugar is finer than regular sugar, allowing it to dissolve faster. The recipe will work fine using regular granulated sugar. You can make baker’s sugar at home in a spice grinder, mini food processor, or mortar and pestle.

As noted in the post, orange liqueur heightens the ice cream’s flavor but is optional. Orange extract will work for a fraction of the cost. Use vanilla if you prefer, or subsitute whatever you like. (Hazelnut? Mint?) If using another type of citrus fruit, adjust extract accordingly.

Feel free to modify the dairy: use all heavy cream, or all milk, or a mixture. I would not advise using all skim milk, or all lowfat milk, as the taste will be compromised.

Finally, anyone seriously interested in citrus fruit is well advised to consult Catherine Phipps’ cookbook Citrus. Informed, elegant, and full of engaging recipes, it’s a wonderful way to learn more about fruits we all too often take for granted.