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Spiced milk flan
Serves 8 Desserts and puddings
Ingredients
- 350ml whole milk
- 100ml double cream
- 200g condensed milk
- 1 vanilla pod, split lengthways, or 1tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 8 green cardamom pods, lightly bashed
- 30g fresh ginger, thinly sliced
- 1 star anise
- 80g caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
Method
The day before, add the milk, cream and condensed milk to a pan with all the spices and a pinch of fine sea salt. Gently heat until steaming - don't let it come to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and leave to infuse for at least an hour, but the longer the better.
To make the caramel, have a 900g loaf tin ready nearby. Put the sugar in a small pan and heat gently until it starts to melt, swirling the pan around once in a while to make sure it's melting evenly. Once the sugar melts and turns a deep amber colour, quickly but carefully pour the caramel into the loaf pan. Tilt the pan around so the caramel covers the base, but be careful as it will be very hot. Set aside to cool completely and harden.
Preheat the oven to 160C/140C F/Gas 3. In a bowl, gently whisk the eggs to break them up, trying not to incorporate too much air into them. Strain the infused milk into the egg mixture and mix to combine. Pour the mixture straight over the hardened caramel, cover with cling film and place the loaf tin in a larger roasting tin.
Fill the roasting tin with hot, but not boiling, water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the loaf tin. Put it in the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes until the edges of the flan are set but the middle still has a bit of wobble. Remove from the oven and take the tin out of the water bath. Let it cool completely for a couple of hours before covering and chilling in the fridge overnight.
When you're ready to serve, run a palette knife around the edges of the flan. Place a serving platter on top of the tin and quickly but firmly flip the flan over. The caramel will have softened and the flan should slide out fairly easily, but you may have to give it a little shake and tap to help it along.
Spoon any caramel that's left in the pan over the flan and slice to serve.
The flan will keep, well wrapped, in it's tin in the fridge for up to 3 days. Turn it out when ready to serve.
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