Bitter Orange Ice Cream

Name: Bitter Orange Ice Cream
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 whole large navel oranges; 2 cups whole milk; 2 cups heavy cream; ¾ cup sugar; 6 whole large egg yolks; ½ teaspoon kosher salt

A luxurious homemade ice cream featuring roasted navel oranges blended with rich cream and egg custard. The roasting process adds a complex bitter note that balances perfectly with the sweet cream base.

8 servings

1 hr 40 min

Published October 4, 2025

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Ingredients

•2 whole large navel oranges
•2 cups whole milk
•2 cups heavy cream
•¾ cup sugar
•6 whole large egg yolks
•½ teaspoon kosher salt

Cooking Instructions

1.
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a rack on it.
5 min
2.
Set the oranges, cut side down, on the rack and roast until the skins are blackened and crisp, about 45 minutes, flipping the oranges halfway through the cooking time. Remove from the oven and cool. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Set a small bowl inside with a fine mesh sieve over it.
45 min
3.
Put the cooled orange pieces into a blender with 1 cup of the milk and purée until smooth, adding more milk if needed to liquefy it. Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and add the remaining 1 cup milk, the cream, and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring, for about 4 minutes, until very hot and steaming but not boiling.
10 min
4.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and salt together until lightened. Gradually whisk in the orange-milk mixture; return mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes (do not boil). Pour into the fine mesh sieve set over the bowl in the ice bath.
10 min
5.
Press on the mixture in the strainer with a rubber spatula to remove the orange pulp. Discard the solids and freeze the custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions, transfer it to an airtight container, and freeze for up to 2 weeks.
30 min

Cooking Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a rack on it.

5 min

Set the oranges, cut side down, on the rack and roast until the skins are blackened and crisp, about 45 minutes, flipping the oranges halfway through the cooking time. Remove from the oven and cool. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Set a small bowl inside with a fine mesh sieve over it.

45 min

Put the cooled orange pieces into a blender with 1 cup of the milk and purée until smooth, adding more milk if needed to liquefy it. Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and add the remaining 1 cup milk, the cream, and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring, for about 4 minutes, until very hot and steaming but not boiling.

10 min

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and salt together until lightened. Gradually whisk in the orange-milk mixture; return mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes (do not boil). Pour into the fine mesh sieve set over the bowl in the ice bath.

10 min

Press on the mixture in the strainer with a rubber spatula to remove the orange pulp. Discard the solids and freeze the custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions, transfer it to an airtight container, and freeze for up to 2 weeks.

30 min