Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  1                cup  sugar
     1/4           cup  champagne
  2               cups  milk
  1                     vanilla bean -- split open
  3                     egg yolks
  2              whole  eggs
     1/2           cup  sugar
  1                     orange -- zest of

Preparation:

In a small saucepan or skillet, heat the 1 cup sugar and champagne over a medium high heat until it turns a caramel color. Divide the caramel between four individual custard dups. Bring the milk and vanilla bean to boiling In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and 1/2 cup sugar. Add the milk to the eggs, stirring constantly but not whisking air into the mixture. Add the orange zest, then pour into the custard cups. Bake in a water bath at 300-325ø for 45 minutes to an hour or until the caramel wells up to the top when you insert a small sharp knife to the bottom, in the center of the custard. Remove from oven and let cool in the water bath. Chill at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. To remove the custard, run a knife around the side of the cup, then invert onto a dish. With a short snap forward, the custard should come out.

Nutritional Information:

1882 Calories (kcal); 41g Total Fat; (19% calories from fat); 37g Protein; 342g Carbohydrate; 1078mg Cholesterol; 374mg Sodium