Serves 8
4 South African oranges
1 3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
3 1/4 cups whole milk
3 whole eggs plus 3 large egg yolks
Raspberries and fresh mint for garnish
Finely zest 3 oranges, then squeeze the juice from orange to measure 1 cup. Pour juice through sieve into saucepan to remove pulp. Add water and 1 ¼ cup sugar to saucepan with juice. Bring to a boil over medium heat, only stirring to dissolve sugar, then DO NOT STIR. Continue boiling and brush any crystals that form on the sides of pan with a pastry brush that has been dipped in cold water. This will stop sugar from crystallizing. Swirl mixture in pan until color turns golden, then to an amber color. Immediately divide caramel between eight 6oz ramekins. Set ramekins aside. In a separate saucepot, bring milk and zest to slight boil over medium low heat then turn heat off and let zest infuse into milk for 10 minutes.
Whisk whole eggs, yolks, and remaining ½ cup sugar in a bowl. Ladle warm milk into egg mixture and combine. Pour mixture through a sieve to remove zests. Divide among the caramelized ramekins and place ramekins into a roasting pan.
Place roasting pan in the oven, with door open, add just enough hot water to the roasting pan to come half way up the ramekins. Close oven door and bake for 45–55 minutes until custard is set. Lift ramekins from roasting pan onto a cooling rack. With a towel in hand, carefully run a knife around side of ramekin to loosen, then allow to cool completely.
For service, invert molds onto plate. Leave ramekin inverted on plate until custard falls out on its own with caramel sliding down the sides. Garnish with raspberries and fresh mint.
