Orange-Almond Flan - granulated sugar

Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar with 1/4 cup water.
• Stir until completely dissolved.
• Place pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until syrup begins to bubble.
• Stop stirring and allow pan to sit until syrup begins to turn golden at edges, brushing down any sugar crystals with a brush dipped in cold water.
• Occasionally rotate pan to mix syrup without stirring it, then replace over heat.
• Continue doing this until syrup is evenly golden brown.
• Pour caramel into an 8-inch round flan mold or cake pan, or 10 to 12 3-inch fluted molds, tilting to spread caramel evenly along bottom.
• Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, mix together remaining 2 cups sugar with 1 cup water.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat, and boil for 4 minutes.
• Remove from heat and set aside to cool until lukewarm.
• Whisk together yolks and whole eggs until blended, then pour through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl.
• Add orange zest, orange juice and ground almonds.
• Whisk in sugar syrup.
• Pour into caramel-lined mold or molds, filling to just below rim.
• Cover mold or molds tightly with foil.
• Place mold or molds into a larger pan.
• Pour enough hot water into large pan to reach halfway up side of flan mold.
• Bake until a knife inserted halfway into flan comes out clean, 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on type of pan and oven used.
• Allow flan to cool, then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.
• Just before serving, warm base of pan by dipping it briefly in a pan of hot water.
• Invert onto a plate, and serve immediately.