Orange Caramel Custards

, from Issue #20. August, 2015
Photography by Vanessa Wu.
Orange Caramel Custards

There are many versions of this most classic of Spanish desserts which dates back to the Middle Ages.

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

Caramel
½ cup caster sugar
½ cup water

Orange Custard
1 cup cream
1 cup milk
100 ml freshly squeezed orange juice
finely grated zest 1 orange
¼ cup caster sugar
2 eggs
3 egg yolks

To serve
2 oranges, peeled and sliced

6 x 150 ml capacity ramekins

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 160°C.

If using ceramic ramekins, place them in the oven to warm. This will prevent them cracking when the hot caramel is poured in.

Caramel: Put the sugar and water in a small saucepan and heat very slowly, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Brush any stray sugar crystals off the side of the pot with a pastry brush dipped in water. Bring to the boil and boil until a dark caramel colour. Quickly pour into the base of the dishes and leave to cool.

Custard: Heat the cream, milk, orange juice, zest and caster sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Whisk the eggs and egg yolks together in a bowl then whisk in the hot cream. Strain the mixture into the dishes and place them in another deep baking dish. Add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the dish. Cover the baking dish with tin foil and carefully poke a few holes in the top for the steam to escape. Bake for 30 minutes or until the custards are just set but still with a slight wobble in the centre. They will firm up on cooling.

Remove the dishes from the water bath and leave to cool. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve: Carefully run a knife around the edge of the dishes and invert them onto serving plates. Serve with the sliced oranges.