Ingredients
Caramel Syrup:
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup water
Flan:
- 19 oz can coconut cream
- 1 cup half and half
- 14 oz can condensed milk
- 12 eggs
Garnish:
- Mint sprigs
- Crunchy coconut strips
Instructions
- Set 10 (1 cup size) aluminum cups on a rimmed baking tray.
- Set a bowl larger than the diameter of the pan you will be using in the sink and fill it with water.
- In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and the water. Turn the heat to medium high and stir the sugar just until it melts. Let the sugar water boil. It will start to thicken and bubble more slowly as it reaches the candy stage.
- Continue cooking until the sugar turns a light amber color. This whole process will take about 8-10 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and gently and carefully use a spoon and continue mixing as the sugar will continue to darken.
- As soon as the caramel is the right color, stop the cooking process by dipping the pot into the bowl of cold water. (Do this in the sink as the water may hiss and spit.)
- Pour or spoon the caramel evenly into the containers. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and set the oven rack to the middle.
- In a large bowl separate the egg yolks, saving the whites for another purpose. Add the coconut cream, condensed milk, and half and half.
- Whisk until the mixture is well combined. Pour the mixture through a mesh to eliminate any unmixed egg.
- Pour the mixture into the aluminum tins.
- Put the tray into the oven and then carefully pour about 3 cups of water into the baking tray (the water should come up to near the edge of the tray, about ⅓ of the way up the aluminum tins).
- Bake for 45-55 mins until just set. If you tap the side of one, it should jiggle loosely but the center should not be wet.
- Turn the oven off and open the oven door. Let cool for 20 minutes before moving the tray out of the oven. Transfer the aluminum tins to a dry tray. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours.
- When you are ready to serve, run a pairing (or steak) knife along the edge of the flan. Gently flip the tin over onto a small plate and then pierce the middle of the tin. This will create an air pocket allowing the flan to plop onto the plate.
- Garnish with a little mint or some coconut chips as desired.
Notes
*This is a rich and creamy flan. You can substitute the half and half for whole milk or substitute coconut milk for the coconut cream if you prefer a lighter flavor.
*If you do not have aluminum tins, you can use any 8 oz (1 Cup) size oven safe bowls. Once the flans are baked and cooled, run a knife along the outer edge and push gently along the edge of the flan when turning it out to break the seal. If you’re having problems turning out the flan, just eat it out of the bowl itself. It’s perfectly fine and you save yourself from having to wash an additional dish!
Keywords: flan, coconut, dessert, sweets, holiday, party