What Food Stylist's Do With Their Blood Orange Post Maim. By Cindie Flannigan

Photos Courtesy of Ed Covello

This recipe came about because I was talking to my friend Paty Winters about all the blood oranges I have on a tree in the back yard. She suggested making a blood orange syrup that would last forever so I could use it whenever I wanted. I thought this was a great idea so I got right to it. Unfortunately, it was taking so long to reduce down, that I started doing something else and forgot about it until I smelled a burning sugar aroma wafting in from the kitchen. When I got to it, my beautiful blood orange syrup was dark brown and boiling over the saucepan and all over the stove. I couldn’t bear to admit defeat. So this is what I ended up with.



Tart Blood Orange Caramels
with Toasted Almonds and Sea Salt

There’s more sugar in the recipe below than in my original test but if you like very tart candy you can cut the brown sugar in half. These caramels are soft. They are best stored in an airtight container and refrigerated.

3 cups blood orange juice, strained
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup toasted almonds
2 teaspoons sea salt flakes

Line the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper. Butter parchment paper and set aside.

Place blood orange juice in a 4-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Let boil until liquid is reduced to 1/3 cup.

Remove from heat and stir in sugars, butter, and cream. Return to high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Turn heat to medium and let boil until a candy or deep fat thermometer reads 248 degrees F (or when a half teaspoon placed in a glass of icy cold water turns into a firm, chewy ball), about 17 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Scatter almonds on bottom of parchment paper. Pour caramel over almonds. Let sit until cool and firm, about 2 hours. Remove from baking dish and sprinkle salt flakes over top. Cut into 1-inch pieces.