Blood Orange Sauce

Simple, seductive and so versatile this sauce is great for livening up plain cheesecake or sending a piece of chocolate cake over the top.

Blood Orange Sauce

In a heavy bottomed sauce pan add 1 1/4 cups of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice and 1/3 cup water, over high heat bring to a boil and let cook until the caramel started to turn a deep golden brown.  Immediately turn off the heat and add 1 cup of strained blood orange juice.  Be careful as the caramel will seize and sputter. Put the sauce back on the burner and turn the heat on to high again, stirring until all the caramel has melted and the sauce just comes to a boil, then immediately take it off the heat and let cool.  

Peel and segment 1 (or 2) blood oranges making sure you get rid of the skin and pith of the fruit, you just want the meat.  Put the prepped orange segments into the sauce and refrigerate.  If you use 2 oranges you could serve this as a dessert in and of itself over some ice cream or with a swirl of heavy cream and some shortbread.  Otherwise it really is spectacular spooned over cheese cake or in a puddle underneath a small slice of rich chocolate cake. 

Making caramel:

 My juice before straining.

 Ta da: The sauce:

If you make your own juice and add some orange segments it will take about 7 or 8 Blood Oranges, which are in season in Florida January-March outside of these months they can be tricky to get.