Flan with Orange and Cinnamon
From Dorothy McNett's Recipe Book at www.dorothymcnett.com.
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon water
4 cups milk
1 cinnamon stick, about 2 inches
the peel from 1 orange or lemon
1/2 cup sugar
4 large eggs plus 1 more yolk
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
pinch of fine sea salt
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the sugar and water until the sugar melts, and then continue to cook gently until the mixture turns light golden brown. Pour the caramel into 6 to 8 custard cups. Tilt to spread the mixture up the sides and set aside.
In batter bowl, combine the milk, cinnamon, orange or lemon peel, and sugar. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Whisk well to dissolve the sugar. Set aside. Whisk the eggs, extra yolk, vanilla and salt together very well. Remove the peel and cinamon stick from milk. Slowly add a small amount of the hot milk to the egg mixture whisking well to warm the eggs gradually so as not to cook them. When egg mixture is warm, whisk in the remaining milk. Strain the mixture through a sieve into the caramel lined dishes. Place the dishes in a larger baking pan (bain marie) and add water to come a little less than half way up the sides of the flan dishes. Place in oven and bake about 40 minutes or until the custards have set up but just a little jiggly in the center. Remove from oven and let cool in the water bath at room temperature 1 hour. Chill 2-3 hours before serving. To serve, invert onto serving plate or plates.
Recipe created 1997-04-07.
