Caribbean Flan

Name: Caribbean Flan
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients: 5 eggs; 395g condensed milk; 340ml evaporated milk; ½ teaspoon vanilla extract; ½ cup castor sugar; ½ cup water

Caribbean flan is a simple dessert similar to a French crème caramel or Spanish flan, except it’s a bit denser. The traditional Caribbean version is based on condensed and evaporated milk as fresh milk wasn’t always readily available in the past. Caribbean flan made with coconut milk is called flan de coco. Thanks to my friend Paul Carmichael for introducing me to this delicious dessert.

Serves 8

Ingredients

5 eggs
395g condensed milk
340ml evaporated milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Caramel (see video below)

½ cup castor sugar
½ cup water

Method

Pre-heat oven to 165°C.
Meanwhile, make Caramel (see more details here and video below): Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to the boil. Boil, without stirring, for about 15 minutes (depending on the pan and heat), until dark golden; watch it closely from about 12 minutes on, swirling the pan occasionally so that the sugar colours evenly.
As soon as it turns dark golden, quickly and carefully pour it into a 21cm round baking dish, tilting it to cover the base, and set aside to cool.
Using an electric mixer, whisk eggs for a couple of minutes, until pale.
Add condensed milk, evaporated milk and vanilla extract and whisk until well combined.
Strain into the caramel-lined baking dish.
Place a clean cloth in the bottom of a larger baking dish.
Place the custard-filled baking dish into the larger dish and carefully pour enough boiling water into the larger dish to come halfway up the sides of the smaller dish to create a bain marie.
Cover the smaller dish tightly with foil and place in the oven for about 40 minutes, until set but still slightly wobbly in the centre (test with a wooden skewer or tip of a small sharp knife).
Remove foil and set aside to cool in the water bath then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, ideally overnight.
Run a knife around the edge to loosen the custard, place a plate on top of the dish, turn upside down and shake firmly to unmould.
Serve in wedges.