Blood orange-vanilla creamsicle

Ingredients

Blood orange sorbet (or you can use store bought if you don't want to make your own)
2 3/4 cups blood orange juice, strained (about 12 blood oranges)
1 cup sugar
2 3/4 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Large pinch of kosher salt

Vanilla custard
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise with seeds scraped out
2 1/2 cups heavy (whipping) cream
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/4 tsp. plain gelatin
2 tbsp. water

To serve
3 blood oranges, peeled and segmented (you can use any citrus you like, but blood oranges are particularly good because they are extra sweet!)

Directions

To make sorbet: In a large bowl, combine blood orange juice, sugar, lemon juice and salt. Stir until sugar dissolves. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Churn in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. Freeze until scoopable, about 2 hours, depending on your freezer.

To make vanilla custard: Combine vanilla bean, seeds, cream, milk and sugar in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until almost simmering. Turn off heat and cover pan. Let vanilla bean steep in liquid for 10 minutes.

Stir together gelatin and water in a small bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes. Strain cream mixture into a bowl, discarding vanilla bean. Stir gelatin mixture into cream with a heat-resistant plastic or wooden spatula. Let liquid cool to warm, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. (Stirring prevents gelatin from sinking to the bottom of the hot liquid.) Pour vanilla custard into 6 ramekins. Refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.

To serve: Unmold by dipping the bottom of the ramekins in a bowl of very hot water. Run a knife around the inside edge of each cream and invert onto a plate. Arrange orange segments around creams. Place a scoop of sorbet on top of the custard. Serve immediately.

In advance: The creams may be made up to 2 days ahead. Once firm, cover with plastic wrap.

Serves 6