Recipe: Orange and Vanilla Crème Caramels

[crafty_packrat]

From my Independence Day Cook-In (all recipes from Purple Citrus and Sweet Perfume)

Orange and Vanilla Crème Caramels
For the caramel
2/3 cup superfine sugar
1/3 cup of water
2 T orange flower water

For the crème
1 vanilla bean (or 1 t high-quality vanilla extract)
2 1/3 cups heavy cream
Grated zest of 2 oranges
2 large eggs, plus 2 large egg yolks

6 (6-ounce) ramekins

To make the caramel

1. Combine the sugar, water and the orange flower water in a small saucepan.


2. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring well until the sugar has dissolved.


3. Increase the heat and cook until the sugar turns darker and caramelizes.


4. Pour the caramel into the ramekins and let cool.

To make the crème

1. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into a saucepan and add bean (or just pour in vanilla extract). Add the cream and orange zest. Heat over low heat until steaming. Remove from the heat and let infuse for 30 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean if using.


2. Preheat the oven to 300°F.


3. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, eggs, and yolks together until thick and creamy. Slowly whisk in the cooled cream mixture. Pour into ramekins and place them in a baking dish. Fill the dish with enough boiling water to come two-thirds of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 1 hour, until almost set. Remove from the oven and let the crème caramels cool in the water. Chill overnight to set.

Notes: Be very careful making the caramel, as it's easy to burn yourself on bubbling hot, molten sugar. Also, we had to set the ramekins in a small skillet with water to carefully heat the caramel enough to get the crème caramels out when we wanted to eat them; inverting them worked wonderfully.