Orange Creme Caramel
Serves 6 Preheat the oven to 150C (300F, Gas mark 2). Take the zest from 1 orange with a potato peeler and cut into fine strips. Grate the zest from 1 of the other oranges as finely as possible. Remove the peel from these 2 oranges with a knife and cut into segments. Squeeze the juice from the third and last orange. Measure the orange juice and make up to 100ml if necessary with water. To make the caramel, take care, as this gets very hot. Place the granulated sugar into a small saucepan and place it over a low heat. The sugar will slowly melt (do not attempt to stir it, just shake the pan to move it about). It will slowly darken to a pale golden colour. The darker it gets the more flavour it has but don’t let it burn. When it has reached a golden colour, take off the heat, pour a small amount into each mould to coat the bottom. When this is done put the strips of orange zest into the remaining caramel and stir with a fork. Remember the caramel carries on cooking even away from the heat so you have to work fast. Next, add the 100ml of orange juice/water. This will now stop the caramel cooking, put the saucepan aside. Next, place the milk and cream in a saucepan with the grated zest and bring to the boil. Beat the eggs with the caster sugar in a separate bowl. When the milk/cream is boiling, pour it on to the eggs continuing to beat. Strain the mixture and pour it into the moulds. Stand the moulds into a deep pan and pour boiling water around them. Cover with a sheet of tin foil and cook in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the custards are just set. Remove from the oven, allow to cool, and refrigerate. To serve, carefully run a knife around the mould and turn out onto a serving plate. Decorate around the custard with orange segments and finish by pouring extra caramel with zest strips over the custards. If wished, decorate with shards of cracknel. For the Cracknel decoration: Make the caramel in the same way as described in the recipe except when you reach the right colour pour it out onto parchment paper and spread it as thin as possible with a knife. Allow to cool and set then break into pieces and store in an airtight jar. Put it on a high shelf, as children love it!