Chef notes
I used to help my mom make this dessert all the time when I was a kid. I have no idea where she found the recipe but it's been in our family as long as I can remember. It's cold, creamy, sweet and rich. I've always loved it. I have a scar on my left index finger from when I was melting the sugar to make the caramel, so I literally think about this dish all the time. It's fun for kids to see the magic of the caramel: How sugar melts to a dark liquid and how it creates its own sauce when you flip the dish over. Lots of oohs and aahs!
Ingredients
- 1½ cups sugar, divided
- 8 large eggs
- 2 (13-ounce) cans evaporated milk, undiluted
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup flaked coconut
- toasted coconut, to garnish (optional)
Preparation
1.Preheat oven to 350 F.
2.Place a 6-cup mold in a large shallow baking pan filled with 1 inch of hot water. Place in the oven to warm.
3.While mold is warming, heat 1 cup of the sugar in a small saucepan, stirring constantly until melted and golden. Remove mold from water with potholder. Pour melted sugar into mold and swirl to coat bottom and sides with the caramel; cool slightly.
4.In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Beat in remaining sugar, milk and salt until blended; stir in coconut. Pour mixture into caramel-lined mold. Replace mold in water bath.
5.Bake for 1 hour or until knife inserted 1 inch from the edge comes out clean (center will be soft). Remove from water bath; cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.
6.Refrigerate until cold. To serve, loosen flan around edge with knife. Place rimmed serving dish upside down over mold. Holding mold and dish, turn dish upright and lift off mold. Caramel will flow out to form sauce. Garnish with toasted coconut, if you wish.
