ORANGE FLAN

This essentially Spanish version of crème caramel uses orange juice rather than cream, which makes it lighter. Seville oranges were probably used here as their tartness would cut through the eggs’ richness, but the acidity can be added with lemon juice.

400g caster sugar
350ml freshly squeezed orange juice (about 8 oranges)
50ml lemon juice
6 eggs
Orange segments to serve

Place 250g of the sugar and 3 tablespoons of water in a small heavy-based saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.

Use a pastry brush that has been dipped in water to brush around the sugar mix to stop any sugar crystallising on the sides of the pan. Boil the syrup, without stirring, until it starts to turn a dark red colour and is smoking.

Remove from the heat and pour a small amount into the base of 8 x 150ml ramekins. Swirl the caramel around each ramekin until it has almost set then set aside.

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C. Put the orange and lemon juice in a saucepan with the remaining 150g sugar. Heat until the sugar dissolves, but don’t boil. Remove from the heat.

Gently whisk the eggs in a large bowl then slowly pour in the orange and lemon juice mixture. Strain through a sieve then pour into the caramel ramekins.

Put the ramekins in a large roasting tray then pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until set with just a slight wobble in the centre.

Remove the ramekins from the roasting dish and allow to cool to room temperature. Either serve at this point or refrigerate for later use.

If refrigerating, remove from the fridge half an hour before serving and dip the bases of the ramekins in a bowl of boiling water for a few seconds to melt the caramel. To turn out run a palette knife around the edges, then tip out on to plates. Serve with orange segments.

Recipe courtesy Ginny Grant, NZ Gardener Garden Diary