I’m a huge advocate of winter.  If winter ever needed a representative to defend him or herself in the court of law, winter should give me a ring.  For me, winter signifies a time of cuddling, celebrating holidays, eating comforting foods and…not sweating. Yeah, I despise sweating. But sometimes, I must admit, winter can be a huge bummer.  The dreary, cold days get old after a while so I think that’s why winter citrus is so crucial to my January happiness.  Every time I go to the market, the ray of citrus sunshine that comes from the produce department makes me giddy.  The brightness from the meyer lemons, honey bells, clementines–and my recent love–blood oranges, can turn any dreary day into a sunny one.

I know it may seem counterintuitive to eat something like flavored ice in the dead of winter, so I suggest that you pair this icy experience with a soft blanket while sitting by the fire.  I actually ate this in bed under the covers–and the contrast of cozy and cold was a total win.  Trust me on this one.

Blood Orange Granita with Whipped Cream

Recipe from Food & Wine

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1/2 cup of water
1/4 cup plus one tablespoon of granulated sugar
2 cups chilled fresh blood orange juice

In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

In a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish, stir the sugar syrup into the blood orange juice. Freeze for about 1 hour, or until ice crystals form around the edge. Using a fork, stir the crystals into the center and freeze for about 30 minutes, until a thicker rim of crystals forms around the edges. Stir again and freeze for about 1 hour longer, stirring every 15 minutes or so until all the juice is frozen.

Scoop the granita into bowls or glasses and top with fresh whipped cream.