Flan is a classic dessert enjoyed across various cultures, known for its silky smooth texture and rich, creamy taste. This custard dessert, typically made with eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla, is baked with a layer of caramel on the bottom, which becomes a delicious sauce when the flan is inverted onto a plate. The beauty of flan lies in its simplicity and versatility, making it a beloved treat worldwide. Incorporating apricot puree into flan adds a delightful twist to the traditional recipe. Apricots bring a natural sweetness and subtle tartness that perfectly complements the rich custard. The fruity flavor adds depth and complexity, elevating the dessert to a new level of sophistication. Additionally, the vibrant color of the apricot puree creates a visually stunning presentation, making the flan not only a treat for the taste buds but also a feast for the eyes. This combination results in a dessert that is both familiar and refreshingly different, appealing to both traditionalists and those seeking something new.
Why is this the best recipe?
Rich Flavor: The combination of egg yolks and apricot puree creates a luxurious and rich custard with a perfect balance of sweetness and fruity flavor. The apricot adds a unique and delightful twist to the traditional flan. Smooth Texture: Using egg yolks gives the flan an exceptionally smooth and creamy texture. The milk provides the right amount of creaminess without being too heavy, making each bite velvety and satisfying. Beautiful Presentation: The caramel layer not only adds a lovely golden color to the top of the flan but also creates a stunning visual effect when inverted. The caramel sauce drizzles down the sides, making it look as good as it tastes. Versatile Ingredients: This recipe uses simple, readily available ingredients like egg yolks, milk, sugar, vanilla, and apricot puree. Whether you use fresh or canned apricots, the recipe is adaptable and easy to make with pantry staples. Perfect Balance of Sweetness: The recipe strikes the perfect balance between the sweetness of the caramel and the apricot puree, ensuring that the flan is not overly sweet but still indulgent and delicious. Easy Preparation: Despite its elegant appearance and rich flavor, this apricot flan is straightforward to make. The step-by-step instructions ensure that even novice bakers can achieve a professional-looking and tasting dessert without any hassle.
Ingredients and substitutes
Apricots – These are in season and perfect to use in this recipe. You can also use canned or frozen apricots. Just make sure you check the label for added sugar, then reduce sugar in the recipe accordingly. Milk – No low-fat milk here, please. Regular whole milk will give you a better flan that will hold its shape better. Low-fat will not set and result in a soupy mess. Eggs – The color of the egg yolks will contribute to the color of the flan. In this case, it will also be influenced by the color from the apricot puree. So if you can find gorgeous golden yellow/orangish egg yolks, those give a pretty color. It does not affect the taste, so use whatever you have on hand. Sugar – Looks like a lot of sugar? Well, it is! but some of it is used to make caramel so its’ kinda burns down the sweetness and gets that burnt sugar (caramel) flavor. Now the calories remain the same just that the quantity of sugar does not represent sweetness in this recipe.
Step by step: Apricot flan, creme caramel
Blanch Apricot—Wash the apricots and score the skin with a knife before blanching them. Place them in a pot of hot water and let them simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. You will see that the skin just starts to peel off. Immediately place them in a bowl of cold water.
Apricot puree: When cool enough to touch, peel the fruit. Cut the fruit in half, remove the seeds, and pulse in a food processor until smooth. Strain through a sieve and set aside. Use the amount required in your recipe.
Prepare the Caramel: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and water. Stir gently until the sugar dissolves, then stop stirring and let the mixture come to a boil. Cook until the caramel turns a deep golden brown color, swirling the pan occasionally to ensure even caramelization. Immediately pour the caramel into a 9-inch round cake pan or flan mold, tilting the pan to evenly coat the bottom. Set aside to cool and harden.
Oven: Preheat the oven at 325°F / 165°C/ Gas Mark 3 Prepare the Flan: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until well combined and slightly pale. In a saucepan, heat the milk until it is warm but not boiling. Gradually add the warm milk to the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from curdling. Stir in the apricot puree and vanilla extract until well combined. Assemble the Flan: Pour the flan mixture over the hardened caramel in the prepared pan. Place the flan mold in a larger baking dish and fill the larger dish with hot water to come halfway up the sides of the flan mold (creating a water bath).
Bake the Flan: Carefully transfer the baking dish to the preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the flan is set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the center. Cool: Remove the flan mold from the water bath and let it cool to room temperature. Once cooled, refrigerate the flan for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. Serve: To serve, run a knife around the edges of the flan to loosen it. Place a serving plate on top of the flan mold and quickly invert the two to release the flan onto the plate, allowing the caramel to drizzle over the top.
Tips for success
Perfect Caramel: When making the caramel, watch it closely, as it can go from golden to burnt very quickly. Swirl the pan gently, but do not stir once the sugar dissolves to prevent crystallization. Pour the caramel immediately into the mold to avoid hardening in the saucepan. Smooth Custard: Ensure the custard mixture is smooth by thoroughly whisking the egg yolks and sugar before gradually adding warm milk. This helps to prevent the eggs from curdling and ensures a consistent texture. Strain the Mixture: For an extra smooth flan, strain the custard mixture through a fine-mesh sieve before pouring it into the mold. This will remove any lumps or bits of cooked egg. Even Baking: Baking the flan in a water bath (bain-marie) helps to evenly distribute heat and prevent the custard from curdling or cracking. Use hot water for the bath and make sure it comes halfway up the sides of the flan mold. Check Doneness: The flan is done when it is set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the center. Overbaking can result in a rubbery texture, so check for doneness a few minutes before the recommended baking time. Cool Properly: Let the flan cool to room temperature before refrigerating. This prevents condensation from forming, which can affect the texture. Chill the flan for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld and the custard to set completely. Releasing the Flan: To easily release the flan from the mold, run a knife around the edges to loosen it. Place a serving plate on top of the mold and quickly invert it. Give the mold a gentle shake to help release the flan if needed. Apricot Puree Quality: Use ripe, sweet apricots for the best flavor. If using canned apricots, ensure they are well-drained. Blending the apricots to a smooth puree will integrate seamlessly into the custard. Adjust Sweetness: Depending on the sweetness of your apricots, you may need to adjust the sugar in the custard mixture. Taste the puree before adding it to the custard to balance the flavors.
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