2/7/07: Orange-Flavored Crème Caramel (Crème Renversée À L'Orange)

Source: Glorious French Food - A Fresh Apporach to the Classics, by James Peterson

Makes 6 dessert servings
*To make a classic créme caramel, infuse a vanilla bean, split down the middle, in the hot milk instead of using the orange zests.

For the Caramel:
1 cup[200 g] granulated sugar

For the Custard:
2 large navel oranges
3 cups [750 ml] milk
5 large eggs
2/3 cup [135 g] granualted sugar

1. Heat the sugar for the caramel in a heavy-bottomed nonaluminum saucepan over medium heat while stirring with a wooded spoon. When the sugar melts, any lumps disappear, and it turns deep red, pour it immediately into six 6-ounce [185 ml] ramekins. Work quickly so that the caramel doesn't overcook or harden. Pour just enough caramel into the molds to coat the bottoms. You shouldn't end up using all the caramel-you just made a cupful because it's difficult to cook a smaller amount. Try not to spatter any caramel on the inside of the ramekins. (When you're done with the suacepan, put about 1 cup of water in it and boil it for a few minutes to dissolve the caramel and make it easier to wash the saucepan.)
2. Preheat the oven to 325F[165C/gas mark].
3. Peel the zest of the oranges in strips with a sharp paring knife or vegetable peeler. Try to avoid leaving the white pith attached to the zest, but don't worry if you leave a little. Blance the strips of zest, to eliminate any bitterness, by boiling them for 30 seconds in 1 cup [250 ml] of water and immediately draining in a strainer.
4. Combine the drained zests with the milk in a heavy-bottomed suacepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat, cover the pan, and set aside for 30 minutes to let the zests' flavor infuse in the milk.
5. Beat the eggs with the sugar until the mixture is smooth. Bring the milk back to a simmer, strain it into a clean suacepan or mixing bowl, and then gradually ladle it into the eggs while stirring with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring, scraping the spoon along the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure all the egg mixture gets dissolved in the milk. (Don't leave the spoon sitting in the hot milk or the spoon may impart a stale wood flavor.) Ladle off any foam.
6. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a clear bowl or small pitcher to remove zests and any coagulated egg.
7. Ladle the custard mixture into the ramekins or use a small pitcher to pour it. Arrange the ramekins in a baking dish and slide the dish onto one of the oven racks. Pour enough hot tap water into the dish to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the baking dish loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil. Bake the custards until they're set-no ripples form on the top of the custards when you give the dish a tiny back-and-forth shake-1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.
8. Take the custards out of the bain-marie (i.e., water bath) and let them cool at room temperature for 1 hour, uncovered. (If you cover them, moisture will condense on the covering and drip down on the custards.) Refrigerate, still uncovered, for 2 hours. If you're saving them longer than that, cover them with plastic wrap until you're ready to serve.
9. Just before serving, run a paring knife along the inside of the ramekins to loosen the custards. Place an individual serving plate on top of one of the custards, hold the two together, and quickly flip plate and custard over so the custard is upside-down on the plate. While holding the plate with your fingers and the ramekin with your two thumbs, give a gentle up-and-down shake to dislodge the custard. Gently life off the ramekin-a light caramel sauce will surround the custard. Repeat with the other custards.