i scream, you scream

everyone loves ice cream. i've also always loved the combination of oranges and cream - creamsicles, orange julius, orange sherbet. i haven't had most of these in years so when i saw these beautiful blood oranges at the market, i thought ice cream would be a fun thing to make. a traditional sherbet recipe is lighter than ice cream and contains egg whites instead of yolks but this is a more traditional ice cream recipe. it stirs up memories of melty bright orange sherbet on a hot summer day, now with a little more sophisticated color and flavor.

Blood Orange Ice Cream

makes about 3 cups

2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup sugar

1 vanilla bean, split open

pinch of salt

2 tbs orange zest

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup blood orange juice, about 6 small oranges

in a heavy saucepan, combine milk, 1/4 cup sugar, vanilla bean, salt, and zest. bring to a boil and remove from heat. beat together egg yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar until pale and frothy. slowly add warm milk mixture while constantly whisky until well combined. pour mixture back into saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until mixture coats back of a wooden spoon. remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve into a metal bowl set in a larger metal bowl of ice and water. whisk to release heat and let cool about 10 minutes. stir in blood orange juice and freeze in ice cream maker. transfer to an airtight container and freeze until hard.