Confit of Oranges Filled with Orange Sorbet

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 creme fraiche.

  • Serves

    serves 6

Ingredients

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
  • 14 cup Bonny Doon Muscat Vin de Glacière

Instructions

Step 1

For the confit: Slice ½'' off the top and ¼'' 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.

Step 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 ¾ cup of the simple syrup for the sorbet and refrigerate until chilled.

Step 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.

Step 4

For the sorbet: Combine orange juice, reserved ¾ 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.
  1. For the confit: Slice ½'' off the top and ¼'' 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 ¾ 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 ¾ 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.
Recipes

Confit of Oranges Filled with Orange Sorbet

  • Serves

    serves 6

CHRISTOPHER HIRSHEIMER

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 creme fraiche.

Ingredients

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
  • 14 cup Bonny Doon Muscat Vin de Glacière

Instructions

Step 1

For the confit: Slice ½'' off the top and ¼'' 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.

Step 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 ¾ cup of the simple syrup for the sorbet and refrigerate until chilled.

Step 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.

Step 4

For the sorbet: Combine orange juice, reserved ¾ 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.
  1. For the confit: Slice ½'' off the top and ¼'' 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 ¾ 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 ¾ 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.

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