Recipe: Flan de Coco y Ron (Rum and Coconut Custard)

Flan de Coco y Ron-COCONUT & RUM CUSTARD
(serves 10)
Source: Cristino Alicea

3/4 cups sugar
1 pinch of salt
1 teaspoon of vinegar
5 large egg yolks
3 large whole eggs
1 3/4 cups coconut creme milk
1 cup milk (substitute option sweetened condensed)
1/2 teaspoon real vanilla extract
3 tablespoons dark Puerto Rican rum (Great optional substitute Captain Morgan Coconut flavor Puerto Rican rum)

Preheat oven to 325F.

Place 1/2-cup sugar in a medium skillet on top of stove over medium-high heat; add about 1/2 cup of water slowly and a teaspoon of vinegar, boil until water and sugar is completely dissolved, cook until the water is reduce. Swirl the syrup around the pan. Do not let it burn, but Continue cooking until sugar syrup turns medium-dark brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; pour caramelized sugar syrup into pie dish. Or small individual dessert dishes. Swirl syrup evenly until coats bottom of dish completely. Let it cool.

In a large bowl, add whisk together remaining 1/4-cup sugar, and salt, egg yolks, and whole eggs until combined. Add in remaining ingredients, Coco Lopez, milk, vanilla, and rum, Whisk until combined. Pour Flan mixture into pie pan or into small individual desert dishes. Carefully transfer pie pan or each dessert dishes into to oven on the middle of baking pan, pour a cup of water so the water comes halfway up the sides of pie pan or dessert dishes. You will be making a Bain -Marie. Boil water bath. Alternatively, it can be cook on top of a stove as long as water bath is still used and using aluminum foil tent seal. Place pie pan or small individual dessert dishes in the middle- baking pan with water bath in oven.

Bake until Flan is almost set (it will appear loose in center but continue cooking as it cools), 45 to 50 minutes. A good test, To see if it is done, just poke a knife in the middle of the Flan and pull it out, if it comes out clean, then It's done. Carefully take out the whole baking pan out of oven or stove with the Flan dishes, until water cools; then transfer pie dish or small dessert dishes to cool. Refrigerate.

When ready to serve, run a knife between Flan and pie dish. Place a serving dish on top of Flan; invert. Slice, and garnish with any remaining syrup or shredded coconut. Chilled Flan overnight in the pie dish or individual small desert dishes and, serve the next day.