Made From Scratch: Blood Orange Simple Syrup, Two Ways

Winter still has its icy grips on us here in the Northwoods. After last Thursday's 11-inch snowstorm, yesterday we awoke to a ground covered in a light blanket of snow and heavy snowflakes falling from the sky. Luckily, the warm temperatures from earlier in the week meant that no snow accumulated. Hopefully sunnier skies and warmer temperatures are in our future, as we have started planning for our summer garden and took a field trip down to a garden center in Stevens Point last night to purchase some seeds that will hopefully turn into a late-summer bounty of fresh vegetables. A girl can dream, right?

Let's see if some fresh citrus from warmer climes can help me shake off my long-winter's funk. I recently picked up a number of gorgeous blood oranges from our local natural foods store and set to work figuring out what I could do with them.

My first thought was to make a blood orange marmalade, but alas, I think we need to sharpen our knives before taking on such a project that requires thin, precise slices. So, instead I turned my thoughts to the blood orange juice and decided to make a blood orange simple syrup. And because I like to make things complicated, I opted to do two versions -- one plain and one spiced.

The red-to-almost-purple flesh of these oranges makes for a brightly-hued simple syrup -- which in turn makes it an ideal addition to a cocktail recipe. In addition to its use in cocktails (I'll post one recipe later today), you could also use this sweet citrus syrup to flavor plain yogurt, or, if reduced down even further, I bet it would make a fabulous topping for ice cream or a batch of pancakes. Mmmm, I think I need to try those ideas out immediately!

Blood Orange Simple Syrup (printer-friendly version)
makes about 2 cups

1 cup filtered water
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice, strained

1. Add the water and sugar to a medium sauce pot. Stir until most, if not all, of the sugar is dissolved in the water.
2. Stir in the blood orange juice.
3. Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
4. Once the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until reduced and slightly thickened.
5. Allow the syrup to cool completely.
8. Pour the cooled syrup into an airtight container. The refrigerated blood orange simple syrup should last up to two weeks.

Spiced Blood Orange Simple Syrup
makes about 1 cup

1/2 cup filtered water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice, strained
3 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
3 star anise blades
2 whole cloves
2 whole allspice
1 cinnamon stick

1. Add the water and sugar to a medium sauce pot. Stir until most, if not all, of the sugar is dissolved in the water.
2. Stir in the blood orange juice. Add in the cardamom, star anise, cloves, allspice, and cinnamon stick.
3. Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
4. Once the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until reduced and slightly thickened.
5. After 10 minutes, remove the saucepot from the burner and let sit for an additional 10 minutes.
6. Strain the syrup through a fine sieve. Discard the spices.
7. Allow the spiced blood orange syrup to cool completely.
8. Pour the cooled syrup into an airtight container. The refrigerated spiced blood orange simple syrup should last up to two weeks.