If you are one of those people who think flan is too heavy, or you like a little acidity in your desserts, or you simply want a change from ordinary flan, this is for you.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1 cup sugar

　　3 eggs

　　3 egg yolks

　　2 cups fresh orange juice

　　Grated zest of 1 orange

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F and bring a kettle of water to a boil. Combine 1/2 cup of the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small heavy saucepan over low heat. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally (it’s best not to stir), until the sugar liquefies and turns clear, then golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and immediately pour the caramel into the bottom of a flat ovenproof bowl or gratin dish, or 4 individual ramekins.

　　

Step 2

Beat the eggs and yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar until pale yellow and fairly thick. Gradually add the orange juice to the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Stir in the zest and pour the mixture into the prepared bowl or ramekins and place in a baking pan, adding hot water to within about 1 inch of the top.

　　

Step 3

Bake for about 40 (for the ramekins) to 50 (for the bowl) minutes, or until the center is barely set. (It’s best to start checking after 30 minutes or so, to avoid overcooking.) Serve warm or at room temperature or cover and refrigerate for a day or so; you can serve by spooning from the bowl, or in the ramekins. Or you can unmold by putting the cups in a bowlful of hot water for 30 seconds or so, then inverting; spoon any melted caramel on top of the custards.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.