This custard dessert courtesy of ATK has a great complexity due to the additions of orange zest and cardamom.

The caramel:

2/3c sugar
1/4c water

Combine water and sugar in a medium sauce pan and heat over medium high heat until sugar mixture begins to turn golden. Gently swirl pan until amber in color. Remove from heat and add 2T of water and continue to swirl until the water is incorporated. Immediately pour into a loaf pan.

The custard:

2 eggs
5 egg yoks
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 12oz can evaporated milk
1/2c whole milk
2T orange zest
1.5T vanilla extract
1./2t salt
1/4t cardamom, ground

Preheat oven to 300F with oven rack positioned in the middle. Line a 9 by 13″ cake pan with kitchen towels and start boiling 2 quarts of water.

Whisk eggs and yolks to combine. Add remaining ingredients and whisk until incorporated. Strain mixture through a sieve into the prepared loaf pan. Cover loaf pan with foil and place in cake pan. Place pan in oven and pour boiling water into pan. Bake until custard reaches an internal temp of 180, center of custard should jiggle slightly. Begin checking around 1 hour and 15 minutes if using a 9 by 5″ loaf pan. 1 hour and 20 minutes if using a 8.5 by 4.5 loaf pan.

Remove foil from loaf pan and let sit in water bath until room temp. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.

Slide paring knife around edges of pan, place inverted serving platter on top of pan. Turn everything upside down until flan releases. Use rubber spatula to scrape caramel onto flan.