Orange Flavored Crème Caramel

Take a deep saucepan, pour in the milk, cream, and half of the sugar, and put it on the fire. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally with a spoon.

Thoroughly wash the orange or pour boiling water over it. Grate the orange peel on a fine grater to obtain zest. Only the orange part of the peel is suitable for zest; avoid grating the white pulp, as it may give the dessert a bitter taste. Instead of an orange, you can use a tangerine or lemon.

Add the orange zest to the saucepan with the cream, and also add a few tablespoons of orange juice. If you want a more intense citrus flavor, you can place the orange pulp in the saucepan. Let the mixture steep in a warm place for 40-45 minutes.

Meanwhile, you can prepare the caramel. In a saucepan or a thick-bottomed pot, add sugar, pour in water, and add a tablespoon of orange juice. Place the saucepan on low heat. Stir the caramel very carefully to keep the walls of the saucepan clean; otherwise, the sugar will burn on the walls. Cook the caramel for about 5-7 minutes until golden color and characteristic smell appear. It's better to turn off the caramel slightly earlier, as it can continue to cook without heat. If the caramel is burnt and has a bitter smell, you'll have to redo it, or it will spoil the whole dish.

Pour the finished caramel into special silicone or ceramic molds. The bottom of the molds should be covered with a caramel layer approximately half a centimeter thick.

Beat the egg yolks and the whole egg in a separate bowl with the remaining sugar. Whisk lightly without excessive effort to avoid the formation of foam. It's better to use a fork or whisk instead of an electric mixer.

Slowly pour the hot creamy mixture into the bowl with the beaten eggs through a sieve to remove the orange zest.

Pour the mixture into the molds over the caramel. If bubbles form on top, they need to be removed with a spoon.

Pour warm water into a deep baking tray and place the molds with the dessert in it. The water should cover the molds at least a quarter of the way. Bake the crème caramel in the oven for 50-60 minutes at 155 degrees Celsius.

Allow the finished creamy dessert to cool to room temperature, then place it in the refrigerator and keep it there for another 2.5 hours.

Carefully remove the crème caramel from the mold onto a plate so that the caramel layer is on top. The dish can be garnished with fresh berries, candied fruits, or chocolate crumbs.

The orange-flavored crème caramel is served cold. To diversify the taste of this traditional French dessert, you can add not only orange zest but also condensed milk, cocoa, or fruit syrup.