Blood Orange Sorbet

The color of boysenberries, and the intensity of pure, sweet citrus - this is a refreshing surprise. Choose the darkest, reddest blood oranges you can find.

3 cups fresh-squeezed blood orange juice
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
3-4 tsps. grated zest of blood orange
1-2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. cognac

Strain the juice and discard the pulp. Combine the sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed pot and heat slowly until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the grated orange zest, turn up the heat, and boil the syrup for five minutes. Remove from the heat and let the syrup cool.

Combine the orange juice and syrup, and taste. Add the lemon juice, a bit at a time, until the sweet-tart balance is just right. Stir in the cognac, and chill the mixture thoroughly.

Freeze in an ice-cream maker, following manufacturer's instructions.

Serve this delicious sorbet by itself, accompanied by dark chocolate biscotti, or alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Makes 6-8 servings.