Michelle Darmody: The best time of year to buy blood oranges

This is the best time of year to buy blood oranges.

They differ from the more prevalent oranges we eat because their flesh, and often the skin, is crimson or deep red in colour.

They are grown in the southern parts of Europe along the Mediterranean and are not only distinctive in appearance, but taste tarter and are slightly more astringent in flavour than other oranges.

Some compare their flesh to raspberries and others to a tangerine. I think they are a mixture of all of these delicious flavours, which makes them a perfect baking ingredient.

I have added a dash of orange blossom water into the cake recipe below, but this is optional. I think the aromatic blossom water works well with the blood oranges deep fruity flavour, but not everyone will agree.

I weigh the orange juice for this cake as I find I get a more accurate result.

There is no need to worry about chunks or pieces of flesh in the juice, these will add to the cake.

The first pancake never works out, it is one of life’s mysteries. I usually make a very small one to start off so I do not waste too much batter.

You can add sunflower oil to the butter if you find it burning in your pan.

When making the pancakes you can add more Cointreau just before serving if you would like to set them alight, like a crepe suzette.

These crepes are generally accompanied with vanilla ice cream. When I first had them in a restaurant as a child they were a revelation.

I have loved them ever since.

Blood orange cake

• 250g of soft butter
• 1 blood orange thinly sliced and the zest of 3 blood oranges
• 320g of golden caster sugar
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 225g of self raising flour
• 75g of plain flour
• 180g of blood orange juice
• 1 tsp of orange blossom water
• 2 tbs of honey

Preheat your oven to 170 degrees and line a 9 inch round tin. Preferably one with either spring-form sides or a loose base.

Beat butter, zest and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs slowly one at a time.

Slowly mix in the flour, juice and orange blossom water.

Line the base of the tin with the slices of orange and drizzle the honey over them. Gently scoop the cake mixture into your tin on top of the slices. Bake for 1 hour. After the hour check with a skewer to see if it needs more time.

Allow to cool in the tin then gently turn over onto a serving plate.

Blood orange and chocolate roulade

• 6 eggs, separated
• 175g of dark chocolate, broken into small even sized pieces
• 175g of golden caster sugar
• 2 tbs of blood orange juice and the zest of 2 of the oranges

To decorate

• 2 tbs of honey
• 1 blood orange, skin removed and then the orange sliced
• 300 mls of cream, whipped

Line a flat baking tray with parchment and preheat your oven to 180 degrees.

Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until stiff. Set aside.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over simmering water. Set aside.

Whisk the sugar and egg yolks until creamy and add in the melted chocolate. Stir until combined. Stir in the juice and zest.

Add a large spoonful of the whipped egg whites and stir this in. Fold in the remaining egg white and scoop the mixture on to the centre of your prepared tray. Shape it into a rectangle.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until firm to touch. Allow to cool completely on the tin.

Drizzle the orange slices with honey and place into a small oven proof dish with a lid. Allow to gently heat up, under the lid, until the juice from the oranges has melted into the honey, remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Scoop the whipped cream onto the roulade leaving a gap around each edge. Roll the roulade up to form a sausage shape. I use a damp tea towel to nudge it as you are rolling it into shape.

Serve with the honeyed orange slices.

Blood orange pancakes

• 3 blood oranges
• 110g of golden caster sugar
• 50 mls of water
• 40 mls of Cointreau, orange liqueur
• 100g of plain flour
• 2 eggs
• 300 mls of milk
• 2 tsp of melted butter and more forfrying

Remove the skin from the oranges, then very thinly slice the red/orange layer of zest. Thinly slice the oranges after the skin is removed.

Place the slices, zest, sugar, water and Cointreau into a heavy-based saucepan over a low heat. Allow to bubble away gently for about 10 minutes or until the liquid is beginning to become sticky.

The time it takes will depend on how juicy your oranges are. Set aside to cool.

Whisk the flour, eggs, milk and the 2 tsp of melted butter until a batter forms.

Heat a knob of butter on a pan and make your pancakes, storing them in the oven to keep them warm as you make the others.

Serve with the sweetened oranges.