Flan with Toasted Coconut and Almonds

Yields 8 servings
 

Ingredients:

One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
One 12-ounce can evaporated milk
8 ounce block of cream cheese, at room temperatue
1 teaspoon freshly grated cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
7 eggs
1 cup of toasted coconut
1/2 cup toasted, slivered almonds
1/2 cup chocolate sauce (see recipe below)


For Caramel Sauce:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water

Quick Chocolate Sauce:
1/2 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips
1/8 cup of milk
Combine both ingredients and cook in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir until smooth. Do not prepare sauce until ready to serve flan.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF. Have an 8 or 9-inch round glass cake pan (2-inches deep) ready.

2. To make the custard, combine all the ingredients in blender and blend until smooth, set aside.

3. To make the caramel, combine the sugar and water in a glass bowl. Cook in the microwave for 5 minutes. Gently stir with a wooden spoon, then continue to cook for 30 seconds at a time, until the sauce turns a light golden color. Quickly, but carefully pour the caramel into cake pan and swirl to cover bottom of pan. It will harden quickly.

4. Pour the custard mixture over the caramel. Put the cake pan into a larger baking pan and add 1/2 inch of really hot water to the larger pan to create a bain Marie. Bake for 2 hours, or until firm. Let cool.

5. While the flan is cooking, in 2 separate pans, toast the coconut (sweetened, flaked) until browned, stirring often. Remove from heat and set aside.

6. When the flan is cool, run a knife around the edges of the dish to release it, and invert onto a large rimmed serving platter. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or until chilled.

To serve, top the flan with toasted coconut, almonds and drizzle the chocolate sauce on. 

Note: When you add water to the pan to create a water bath (bain Marie), two things:

1. It will be very heavy, so be prepared to be able to transfer to oven safely;

2. Careful not to get any water into the custard as you pour it into the larger pan because it prevents the custard from setting up.

Other recipes by Sonia:

Mexican Red Rice
Buñuelos
Tacos al Pastor
Cheesy Chorizo Bread
Flank Steak Tacos
Frijoles Borrachos con Chorizo
Pork Chile Verde
Lemon Pepper Chicken Fajitas
Chorizo Pozole Soup with Lime Pickled Red Onions
Dulce de Leche and Chocolate Chip Chimichangas

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