Preheat oven to 325F. You will need four (6-oz) ramekins and a baking pan. To caramelize sugar, in a small heavy-bottomed pan, place 1 cup sugar with a few tablespoons of water over medium-high heat. Stir together, but then don't stir again; instead, shake the pan occasionally. When the sugar starts to melt, reduce heat to low. The sugar will liquefy and turn colour. You are going for golden brown. This will take about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately pour the melted, caramelized sugar into the ungreased ramekins. Working quickly, carefully tilt and swirl the ramekins so the sugar coats the bottom and sides. Place ramekins in baking dish. In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, pumpkin, milk, 1/4 cup sugar, spices, salt, orange peel and vanilla. Pour mixture evenly into prepared ramekins. Pour hot water into the baking dish around ramekins to come halfway up their sides and place the pan in the oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the centres comes out clean. Remove ramekins from water. Cool slightly on wire rack. Cover and chill for 4-24 hours. To serve, loosen edges of flans with a knife, slipping the point of the knife down the sides to let in air. Invert a dessert plate over each flan; turn ramekin and plate over together. Scrape the caramelized sugar that remains in the cup onto the flan. If you like, garnish with pomegranate seeds or orange peel. Yield: 4 portions.