• 2 cups blood orange juice (about 12 oranges)
• 4 cups whipping cream
• ¾ cup sugar
• Grated zest of 4 blood oranges
• 9 large egg yolks
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Heat the juice to boiling in a saucepan and boil until reduced to 1 cup.

Mix the cream, sugar, and the zest of 3 oranges in a saucepan and heat to barely simmering, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and let stand 10 minutes.

Lightly whisk the egg yolks until completely blended. Whisk about 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks, then whisk into the remaining cream mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes. Do not boil.

Strain the custard into a mixing bowl and stir in the reduced juice, the vanilla, and remaining orange zest. Place immediately in a larger bowl filled with ice water and chill, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate overnight. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Serve with orange segments if you like or the Blood Orange Caramel (recipe follows).