Sweet Science - Blood Orange Cream

Blood Orange Cream - Vanilla Ice Cream swirled with Blood Orange Sorbet

Today's flavor is another from the Saint Paul-based Sweet Science brand:  Blood Orange Cream.  This looks like an interesting flavor.  It is vanilla ice cream swirled with a blood orange sorbet.  I haven't a flavor which included blood oranges, yet, so let's check them out.

A blood orange is a variety of orange with a maroon (almost blood-colored) pulp.  They have been grown in Italy as well as other parts of the Mediterranean since the 1700s.  The anthocyanins which give the fruit its distinct dark color develop in part because of cold temperatures in the night -- so this orange tends to be grown in slightly more temperate regions than standard oranges.

On to the ice cream!  Removing the lid, the vanilla base has a slightly yellow-ish cream color and large swirls of dark pink are visible as well.  That must be the blood orange.  Digging in, the blood orange tastes like orange, though perhaps a bit tart.  The sorbet is a bit frozen and have a popsicle-like consistency.  This is a bit more frozen than most sorbets, but as a sorbet-swirl inside ice cream it works quite well.  The side of the cartoon compares this to an 'orange-sicle' (dreamsicle?).  I agree with that description.  The vanilla ice cream balances the tartness of the blood orange quite well.

This is a fun and unique pint of ice cream.  I really like citrus-flavored things.  It is often tricky to mix citrus with ice cream because of the acidity, but this flavor worked quite well.  This is quite unique.  The only flavor I can think to compare it to is Häagen-Dazs' Vanilla, Tangerine & Shortbread.  Both made me think of Dreamsicles.  If you like blood oranges or are curious about a tart orange flavor balanced with vanilla, then give Blood Orange Cream a try.