Saveur

Photo: Christopher Hirsheimer

SERVES 6

While visiting New York City's Gramercy Tavern, pastry chef Claudia Fleming garnished this dessert with the cinnamon stick and star anise used to poach the oranges; she also drizzles the plate with a bit of crème fraîche.

FOR THE CONFIT:
6 small navel oranges
5 cups sugar
1 whole cinnamon stick
1 whole star anise

FOR THE SORBET:
2 cups chilled freshly squeezed orange juice, strained
1/4 cup Bonny Doon Muscat Vin de Glacière

1. For the confit: Slice 1/2'' off the top and 1/4'' off the bottom of each orange; then insert a sharp paring knife into each orange's flesh, cutting only the flesh into quarters and leaving the white pith and rind completely intact. Hollow out each orange by sticking a tablespoon between the flesh and the white pith to cleanly separate them. Then, push out and discard the quartered flesh, leaving the orange rind shells intact.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat, add hollowed-out rinds, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until rinds are softened slightly, about 15 minutes. Transfer rinds to a plate with a slotted spoon and discard water. To make a simple syrup, combine 4 cups of the sugar with 4 cups water in same pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove 3/4 cup of the simple syrup for the sorbet and refrigerate until chilled.

3. Add reserved rinds, cinnamon stick, and star anise to the simmering simple syrup. Place a piece of parchment paper directly on top of rinds and simmer, turning occasionally, until white pith is plump and begins to look translucent and rind is very soft, 30-40 minutes. Set aside until cool. Dredge rinds in remaining 1 cup sugar, arrange on a serving tray, and freeze.

4. For the sorbet: Combine orange juice, reserved 3/4 cup chilled simple syrup, and wine in a bowl; pour into ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's directions. Fill each frozen rind with some of the sorbet.

This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #39