Tangerine Flan

Flan can often incorporate orange notes, but this version looks to that jewel of winter, tangerine. The end result is somewhat brighter in flavor, and is ideally made a day in advance of serving so the ingredients have time to mingle. Be sure to let the caramel go quite dark, but take care to avoid burning it.

Ingredients

• ½

  cup/101 grams granulated sugar

• ½

  cup/118 milliliters tangerine juice (from 3 to 4 medium tangerines)

Preparation

1. Set a rack in the center of the oven, and heat oven to 350 degrees. Have 6 (4-ounce) ramekins ready. Make the caramel: Combine sugar and tangerine juice in a small skillet or saucepan. Set over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar, and bring to a simmer.
2. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Continue simmering until mixture begins to caramelize and brown, stirring or swirling the pan, 5 to 6 minutes more. Let the caramel go as dark as possible without burning, to a deep brown color, then carefully pour a bit in the bottom of each ramekin, dividing the hot caramel among them evenly. Set ramekins aside at room temperature.
3. Make the custard: Put the half-and half and sugar in a medium saucepan, and set over medium-high heat. Add bay leaves, rosemary (if using) and vanilla. Bring to just under a simmer, then turn off heat. Stir to dissolve sugar.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and tangerine juice. Whisk in the hot half-and-half mixture a little at a time.
5. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl. Set ramekins in a deep baking dish. Fill each ramekin with 1/2 cup of the strained mixture.
6. Place baking dish on middle rack in the oven. Add hot tap water to baking dish so it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover dish tightly with foil and bake until custards set, 25 to 30 minutes. Start checking at 15 minutes. When done, custards should look opaque and just a little wiggly. Insert a paring knife into the center of the flan to test. The knife should come out clean.
7. Carefully remove ramekins from water bath and let cool to room temperature. Wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
8. To serve, run a small knife around the inside edge of each ramekin to loosen the flan. Invert a dessert plate over the ramekin, then flip plate while securing ramekin. Tap or shake ramekin, lift from plate and the flan will release. Spoon any remaining caramel around flan. Garnish with tangerine segments, if desired.