Creme Caramel (Portuguese)

Step 1: Caramel - Place water in a heavy saucepan and add sugar, pouring into the centre of the water so it doesn't touch the edges.

Step 2: Cook over a medium heat for ten minutes - DO NOT STIR - the caramel will slowly colour from blonde to brunette, to a dark, rich colour and then pour into ramekins.

Step 3: Custard - Whisk eggs, one at a time into sugar until mixture in slightly frothy.

Step 4: Put milk, cinnamon stick, lemon peel and vanilla essence into a saucepan and bring to the boil, remove from heat and stir into egg mixture (do not over mix).

Step 5: Pour mixture through a sieve into a jug and then pour into ramekins, being careful when pouring over the caramel that you swirl a little as your pour so the warm mixture does no crack the toffee.

Step 6: Place ramekins in an ovenproof dish and fill half way up the sides of the dishes with water and bake at 150C for 30 minutes turning the baking dish around after the first 15 minutes to cook evenly.

Step 7: Rest for 30 minutes. run a knife around the edges of the ramekins before turning out onto a dish.