Preheat oven to 325°F. In a heavy sauce pan, combine the cream, milk, ginger, orange zest, vanilla bean and seeds. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat, cover and steep for 15 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks for one minute. Gradually add the sugar, whisking constantly. Slowly whisk in one cup of the warm cream mixture. Slowly whisk the egg mixture and Grand Marnier into the remaining cream mixture. Strain the custard through a sieve. Discard vanilla bean and seeds and ginger. Divide custard equally among the four enamel cast iron mini soup pots.
Place the mini soup pots in a large roasting pan. Place the pan on the middle oven rack. Pour hot water in the roasting pan until it reaches half way up the mini soup pots.
Bake for 35-40 minutes. The center of the custard should be slightly soft. Do not overbake the custard. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and remove the soup pots from the hot water bath. Place each on a wire rack to cool. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.
Remove the mini soup pots from the refrigerator, sprinkle one tablespoon of sugar over the surface of each custard. Using a kitchen blowtorch, caramelize the sugar. The sugar will melt first and then harden to a bubbly, golden crisp crust. Keep the torch moving to prevent the sugar from burning. Refrigerate for at least one hour, or up to 4 hours, before serving.
Recipe was created especially for Calphalon Enamel Cast Iron Mini Soup Pots.
Grand Marnier is a product of Société des Produits Marnier-Lapostolle / Grand Marnier.