Custard or Bain-Marie Cream with Caramel

Melt half a pound of sugar in a pan with the juice of a lemon; as soon as of a light golden color pour a third part of it into the bottom of a plain timbale mold and leave to cool. Break six whole eggs in a basin, add eight yolks and beat together with half a pound of sugar; dilute with a quart of good milk and a quarter of a gill of orange flower water or vanilla and strain this preparation two or three times through a colander, and pour it into the timbale mold, then poach the cream in a bain-marie in a slack oven for an hour and a quarter; remove and cool off in the bain-marie. When ready detach it from the mold with the blade of a small knife and turn it over on a cold dish; cover with a caramel syrup made with the remainder of the caramel.