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Mexican Chocolate Flan
[Photograph: Yvonne Ruperti]
A slice of cool creamy custard is a satisfying but not-too-heavy ending to any meal. Here, I put a spin on the classic flan by adding a dose of chocolate and a touch of cinnamon.
Note: Be super careful when working with the hot caramel, it can burn! Make sure the serving plate is rimmed so that it catches all the sauce.
About the Author: Yvonne Ruperti is a food writer, recipe developer, former bakery owner, and author of The Complete Idiot's Guide To Easy Artisan Bread. You can also watch her culinary stylings on the America's Test Kitchen television show. She presently lives in Singapore as a freelance writer for Time Out Singapore. Check out her blog: shophousecook.com . Follow Yvonne on Twitter.
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About This Recipe
| Yield: | serves 12 |
| Active time: | 20 minutes |
| Total time: | 5 hours |
| Special equipment: | 9-inch cake pan, large roasting pan |
| This recipe appears in: | Chocoholic: Mexican Chocolate Flan |
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plus 2/3 cup (about 8 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar, divided
- 1/3 cup water
- 5 large eggs
- 1 large yolk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
Procedures
-
1
Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. In small heavy duty saucepan over medium heat, stir 2/3 cup sugar and water to dissolve; bring to boil. Continue to cook, without stirring, until mixture is a deep amber color, brushing sides of saucepan with water as needed to wash down any crystals that may form. Immediately pour into bottom of pan and tilt pan to coat evenly; set aside.
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2
In large bowl, whisk remaining 1/2 cup sugar with eggs, yolk, vanilla, and salt. In medium saucepan, heat milk, cream, and cinnamon sticks to scalding. Whisk in chocolate until dissolved. Remove cinnamon sticks and slowly pour chocolate mixture into egg mixture, whisking to combine. Carefully pour hot custard into pan.
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3
Set pan in large roasting pan and place on oven rack. Add hot water to roasting pan until it comes to halfway up sides of cake pan. Bake until just set but still a bit wiggly, about 30 minutes. Let cool at room temperature 30 minutes, then chill until completely set, about 4 hours.
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4
To serve, run sharp knife around perimeter of cake pan to loosen flan. Place serving plate over pan and flip over to invert flan onto plate. Serve.