Blood Orange & Vanilla Sorbet

When you think about blood orange sorbet you would naturally assume blood orange juice, a little 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 normal 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 or so blood oranges and make some sorbet for yourself because 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.

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.

Nanette Johnson is a food and travel writer from Australia and Editor-in-Chief for Gourmet Worrier. You can follow her on Facebook and Twitter