Flan De Cafe (Coffee Caramel Custard)
- 3/4 cup sugar, plus 1/2 cup
- 1 quart milk
- Pinch salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons instant coffee powder (not decaffeinated)
- 4 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- In a small, heavy frying pan, heat the 3/4 cup sugar over medium-low heat until it begins to dissolve.
- Shake the pan slightly, but do not stir, until all the sugar has melted, about 10 minutes.
- Increase the heat and stir the sugar as it begins to bubble and take on color.
- When the sugar is a dark, caramel color, pour into a 6-cup charlotte mold or souffle dish and quickly turn in all directions, tipping the mold or dish from side to side until the surface -- the bottom -- and about 2 inches up the sides is lightly coated with the caramel.
- If the caramel thickens before it reaches this point, then heat the mold over a low flame until the caramel runs more smoothly.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Place the milk, salt and remaining 1/2 cup sugar into a heavy saucepan.
- Bring to a simmer and stir to dissolve sugar.
- Continue boiling -- being careful the mixture doesn't boil over -- until the milk has reduced by about half a cup, about 20 minutes.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and coffee powder, and set aside to cool.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and yolks together; when the milk is tepid, stir the eggs into the milk.
- Pour through a strainer into the prepared mold or dish; set in a hot-water bath and bake in the lower third of the oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until custard is set and a knife comes out clean; cooking times vary with the depth of the mold.
- Set aside to cool completely before refrigerating; the flan should be served chilled.
- To unmold, carefully insert a blunt, thin metal spatula around the rim of the custard and gently tip the mold from side to side to see if it is loose.
- If the caramel on the bottom of the pan has hardened, place in a pan of hot water to loosen and test again.
- Unmold into a serving dish.
sugar, milk, salt, vanilla, coffee powder, eggs, egg yolks
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/4036 (may not work)