Toasted Coconut Flan

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Featured Recipe

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24-5 Health Issue
Recipes

“Just about anyone who works in a fire house knows how to cook,” Chief Fraze claims. This particular recipe is a favorite of his and he says it is always a hit with his guests. You can spice it up or down depending on what types of chilies you use and how you prepare them. No matter what you do, have the fire extinguisher standing by.

Description

27-4 Corporate Relocation Issue
Entertaining the Bakersfield Way

You always wanted to know how to make flan, right? Or perhaps you just want to know what flan is. It’s the traditional Mexican caramel-custard dessert, a natural complement of spicy food. A good recipe for flan is to a Mexican theme party as a cucumber sandwich recipe is to a tea party...essential. With or without a theme, though, it’s a great dessert.

Ingredients

1 (7-oz.) package shredded, sweetened coconut
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
4 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
8 whole eggs
4 egg yolks
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. water

Methods/steps

Spread the coconut out on a large baking sheet and roast it in a 300 degree oven, tossing occasionally, until light brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a small saucepan, combine three tablespoons of water with one cup of the sugar. Cook without stirring over medium heat until it becomes a deep caramel syrup, about seven minutes. Immediately divide the syrup between the two pie plates and swirl to spread the caramel evenly.
Heat the milk and cream together but do not let it boil. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolks until well-blended, then beat in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar.
Very gradually, beat the hot milk and cream mixture into the egg mixture. It’s now custard.
Set aside 1/2 cup of the toasted coconut for garnish. Stir the rest of the coconut and the vanilla into the custard.
Divide the custard evenly between the two pie plates. Now set the pie plates in a larger pan with hot water to reach halfway up the pie plates and bake for one hour or until the custard is set.
Remove the flans from their water bath and cool. Cover and refrigerate until well-chilled.
To unmold the flans, run a sharp knife around the edge and, if need be, dip the bottoms in hot water for a few seconds.
Place a round platter over each flan and invert. The caramel that was on the bottom is now on top, making a sauce.
Sprinkle the reserved toasted coconut over the tops of the flans.

Additional Tips

Flan must be made ahead of time and chilled well. Often, flan is cooked in individual ramekins but this recipe calls for the use of two, 10-inch glass pie plates, instead, because that’s more practical for serving a crowd. But if you have 16 ramekins and the time and patience to unmold them...