Citrus Beet Ice Cream

I received beets in my CSA basket this week and wanted to do something different with them. So when I saw this recipe for beet ice cream, that certainly seemed different! This recipe is somewhere between an ice cream and a sorbet; it does indeed have a cream component, but because there is only a small amount (compared with many other ice cream recipes), it has more of a sorbet-like consistency.

The final concoction was a bright, unmistakable fuchsia color. The flavor of this ice cream was surprisingly light and refreshing, sweet and earthy. Although beet ice cream wouldn't necessarily be my first choice of flavors when I'm craving a sweet treat, McHubby and I really liked it. Serve with a chocolate component, such as miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips or a smooth chocolate sauce, to complement the flavors.


Source: Citrus Beet Ice Cream, Noir

Ingredients
3 medium-size beets
1 small orange, zested and juiced
8 oz (about 1 cup) sour cream
¾ cup vanilla sugar
½ cup half-and-half

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Wrap the beets in foil and roast in the oven until very tender, about 45 minutes. Remove, when cool enough to handle, peel beets and chop finely.

Place the beets in a blender or food processor. Add the juice of the small orange and about 1 teaspoon of the orange zest. Purée the mixture until you have a rough purée. Add the sour cream, sugar, and half-and-half. Purée the mixture until completely smooth and combined. Press the mixture through a fine mesh sieve.



Refrigerate to chill the mixture completely, several hours or overnight. Churn in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.

To serve, drizzle with a little chocolate or balsamic syrup.