Mmm, Orange Coconut Flan

As far as I'm concerned, flan can be a hit or miss dessert. I've experienced the gamut: from creamy and delicious to cold, wet, gelatinous concoctions. However, after making this version of flan—based on a Design*Sponge post by Lorenza Barrezueta from last week—I think I've discovered the secret: a water bath. Normally I fear the water bath because I associate it with cheesecake and springform pans and quadruple layers of aluminum foil, but since flan is basically cooked in a pie plate, there are none of those pesky leakage issues at play. This recipe is simple, although I would suggest one modification: use less sugar. I like a really dark caramel, so I felt than 1 cup of sugar made a bit too much. I also added my own twist: the zest of one orange (when one has two orange trees in the front yard, lots of recipes end up with zest). I am re-printing the recipe with my own modifications:

Flan de Coco y Naranja (Orange Coconut Flan)

prep time: 20 minutes
time from start to serving: 5 hours

Stove Top Caramel

1/2 to 3/4 cup of sugar (vary the amount depending on how much caramel you like)
1 2qt round glass mold (I used a 10 inch pie plate)
1 large roasting pan

Pour the sugar into the glass mold and place over medium to low heat. Cook until the sugar is completely melted and the caramel is a nice medium amber color. Be sure to constantly stir the sugar with a spoon so as to not burn the caramel.

As soon as your caramel is ready immediately remove from the heat (it will continue to bubble off the heat) and VERY carefully tilt the dish so that the caramel evenly coats the sides and bottom of the mold. Let the mold cool, place inside of the roasting pan and set aside.

Flan Filling

1 can of coconut milk
1 can condensed milk
5 whole eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 pinch of salt
zest of one orange

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all of the ingredients in a blender and pour the custard into the caramelized mold. Then pour warm water into the roasting pan to create the water bath. The water should ONLY come to halfway up the side of the mold. Carefully place on the middle rack of your oven, and cook for about an hour. Test the flan to see if it’s done by inserting a knife in the center. If the flan is still soft, let it cook a bit longer until the knife comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool. Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. When you are ready to serve, carefully run a knife around the inside of the mold to loosen the flan. Place a dessert plate on top of the flan and invert to pop it out. Garnish with some fresh fruit and enjoy.