Blood orange sorbet recipe

The reason for including this recipe in a freezing February issue and not a balmy summer one is that blood oranges are currently in season. They make wonderfully tart sorbets but can only be bought in January and February. I found mine at McAlls in Church Street Markets, just above the Arndale, at 3 for £1. As you only need three per tub, not only is it an impressive dessert for your date and/or friends but it’s a cheap one too.

It takes about 12 hours in total but not much of that is active time

Place your receptacle (a big Tupperware box or clean metal roasting pan) for the sorbet in the freezer a few hours in advance.

Ingredients

125ml water

125ml sugar

6 lemons/(blood) oranges (to make 400ml juice) or 600g defrosted raspberries with a squeeze of lemon juice

Method

Place the water and sugar in a large, heavy based pan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat once the syrup is clear.
For the Lemon/Orange Sorbet: Finely zest 3 of the lemons/oranges and add the zest to the sugar syrup. Using a citrus squeezer, juice all 6 and add the juice to the sugar syrup.

For the Raspberry Sorbet:

Allow the raspberries to defrost and then add them to the sugar mix, along with a squeeze of lemon juice. Blend until smooth using a stick blender, then strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Help it through by pressing the back of a spoon into it, discarding the seeds once you’ve finished.

Allow both of the sorbets to cool and then transfer them to the tub that’s been stored in the freezer. Set a timer for 30 minutes and when it goes off, use a fork to stir it or a stick blender if you have one, making sure that you get into the corners and it all gets mixed up.

Repeat this until it gets to the consistency of a slushy and then break the crystals up one last time.

Hopefully, by now it’s almost set and you can just leave it until you want to serve it (no more timers required). The whole stirring process tends to take me about 4 hours.