for the blood orange syrup:
1 cup blood orange juice (about 6 oranges)
1/4 cup granulated sugar

for the sponge cake:
4 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon blood orange zest (about 1 orange)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

for the parfaits:
4 large egg whites
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 supremed blood orange, for garnish

To make syrup, bring blood orange juice to a boil in a small saucepan. Add sugar. Reduce to low simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

While syrup reduces, make sponge cake. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a small rimmed baking sheet, line with parchment, and butter again. In a small bowl, sift together dry ingredients: flour and baking powder.

In a small bowl, using a wooden spoon, beat together egg yolks and sugar until light and frothy. Stir in orange zest.

In stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Drizzle in egg yolk mixture. Fold in dry ingredients by hand until combined. Spread mixture evenly into baking sheet. Bake until edges are lightly golden and cake springs back when touched, about 15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

Using a 4-inch heart-shaped springform cake pan, cut out 4 hearts from the sponge cake. Place a heart-shaped cake into bottom of each springform pan.

To make parfait, beat heavy cream in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Remove whipped cream to a bowl. Beat egg whites with sugar in the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Drizzle in half the blood orange syrup and mix until combined. Fold in whipped cream by hand until combined. Divide parfait mixture among springform pans, smoothing tops. Set pans on a tray and place in freezer to chill overnight.

Unmold heart-shaped parfaits from springform pans by releasing spring and use a small offset spatula to lift out parfaits onto plates. Parfaits should not be taken out of freezer beforehand, but just before serving. Drizzle with remaining blood orange syrup and garnish with blood orange segments.

Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

- Recpie courtesy of Joseph Erdos

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