Belinda Jeffery

I normally blanch orange zest before using it in syrup, which helps soften it and remove any residual bitterness. However in this recipe I decided to simply boil the juice, zest and sugar together to make the syrup, and I’m so glad I did, as I absolutely love the result. The zest is tender but still has some texture, and it imparts a very slight bitterness to the syrup which makes it much more interesting. I’ve also spooned this syrup over strawberries and eaten them with a dollop of yoghurt – it’s a really lovely combination.

Serves 4

For the orange syrup, put the zest, orange juice and caster sugar in a smallish saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly to dissolve the sugar, then stop stirring and bring the mixture to the boil. Adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles steadily, and cook it for about 10 minutes, or until it has reduced somewhat and looks syrupy when you swirl the pan. Remove it from the heat, let it cool for a few minutes, then stir in the Grand Marnier. Let the syrup cool completely and if you’re not using it straight away, pour it into a jar, seal it tightly, and store it in the fridge.

Use a sharp knife to peel the oranges so none of the bitter white pith remains. Over a bowl, slice down between the membranes to release the segments, letting them drop into the bowl below – use a separate bowl for each variety of orange. When they’re all done, cover the bowls and pop them in the fridge if you’re not using them straight away (they’re fine for a few hours, but after this the texture of the segments starts to change.)

When you’re ready to serve the oranges, drain off the excess juice from each bowl (it’s the cook’s bonus!) then gently mix the orange segments together. Divide them equally among four bowls, then spoon some of the syrup and zest over the top. Scatter on the pomegranate seeds and pistachios, and serve the remaining syrup separately.

This is the sort of wonderful dish that works just as well for a special breakfast or brunch as it does for dessert, and to my mind is best served either with thick Greek yoghurt, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.