When you think about blood orange sorbet you would naturally assume blood orange juice + sugar and then churn, freeze and serve, no?

Well think again and think vanilla! Yes, I said vanilla - bean, seeds and all!

I know. I too was slightly dubious when I first came across this recipe because blood oranges and vanilla are not your normal run of the mill bedfellows. Needless to say I had to try this one for curiosity sake more than anything else. And can I just state for the record that this sorbet  just tastes so 'right' in a nature intended kind of way 'right' .

Do you get what I'm saying?

How about you get half a dozen blood oranges and make a some sorbet for yourself and then you'll see that I haven't gone stark, raving mad here.


Not only is this sorbet visually stunning in its vibrancy, but its also incredibly cleansing and refreshing and would be the perfect end to any great meal, so much so that I'm seriously thinking of adding this one to my already growing list of things to make for Christmas lunch.

Blood Orange & Vanilla Sorbet

Recipe adapted from Feasts: Food for Sharing from Central & Eastern Europe

Ingredients

700ml of blood orange juice, freshly squeezed

170g golden caster sugar

100ml water

Vanilla bean, split & seeds removed

Method

1. Put the sugar, water, vanilla bean and seeds together in a saucepan and stir over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the vanilla bean and allow to cool.

2. Juice your blood oranges and then stir in the water and sugar mixture.

3. Chill thoroughly and transfer the sorbet mixture to your ice cream maker and proceed according to the manufacturers instructions and then freeze.