There are two ways you can make this delicious concoction and so many uses for it. You can make the orange cake with blood oranges and save the cooking liquid, or you can skip the cake and go straight for it, using the oranges for another use.

I made this on a whim after the juices looked too good do discard from the blood orange cake. I boiled it down and made a syrup that we then poured over coconut ice cream, added to prosecco, and drank with sparkling water too. However you like it: make this, pour it into a jar and then simply add it to anything your heart desires.

Blood Orange and Cardamom Syrup
3 blood oranges
2 lemons
6-8 cups of water
2 cups of sugar (or more if you want it sweeter)
4 cardamom pods
1 bay leaf

Place the citrus in a pot just big enough to fit the fruit and cover with water, about 5 cups. Boil the citrus for an hour and a half. Every 30 minutes, turn and dunk the fruit and make sure they are still just covered by the water. If necessary, add more water, one cup at a time.

In the meantime smash 4 cardamom pods, breaking up some of the black seeds inside. Set aside.

When the citrus is boiled, remove all but 1 lemon and 1 blood orange. Set the 3 other pieces of fruit aside for another use or discard. Simmer the 1 orange and 1 lemon in the reserved liquid and add the sugar and the smashed cardamom pods.

Simmer over low heat, partially covered for about 20 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add the bay leaf, cover and let cool.

When cool, strain the juice into a bowl. Throw out the bay leaf, any seeds, and the cardamom. Combine the
juice and the citrus that has been simmering away, and pulse until the fruit is just crushed.

You now have a thick and chunky syrup for any use. If you prefer a smoother syrup, just strain all of the chunks out.