South Carolina Dining: The official dining site of South Carolina

Yields 6-10 flan (depending on size of ramekin) 

Ingredients

• 4 yolks
• 5 eggs, whole
• 1 cup sugar plus 2 tablespoons
• ½ tablespoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 oz whole milk
• 1 pint cream plus 1 cup
• 1 jar caramel sauce (or homemade)
• 1 blood orange

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Prepare ramekins with caramel (see recipe below).
• Whisk yolks, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt together in a medium bowl.
• Slowly add the milk while continuously whisking egg mixture.
• Strain egg mixture through a fine chinois using a ladle to help push the liquid through.
• Once strained, add the cream and gently stir avoiding incorporating air.
• For every 2 cups of flan base mix together with ½ cup of caramel sauce.
• Place prepared ramekins in high-walled baking dish. Fill ramekins ¾ to the top.
• Once all ramekins are filled and placed in pan, fill the pan with enough water to be halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
• Place baking pan in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until the custard is set. Custard should be set, but still have a Jell-O texture when moved.
• Remove from the water bath, let cool at room temperature for one hour. Once cool, place in refrigerator to set.

Caramel

• Fill a small saucepan with a half inch of water.
• Add enough sugar to make a sandy mix.
• Place saucepan on stove with high heat.
• Mixture will come to a boil, watch as it starts to thicken, as this is the time it will start to caramelize. Once the mixture is light brown, do not leave the stove! At medium gold, remove from oven and carefully pour enough caramel to cover the bottom of each ramekin.
• Set saucepan aside to cool. Once cool, fill with water and bring to a boil. This will loosen all of the caramel and make cleaning much easier.

To serve

• Whip the extra cup of cream and 2 Tb of sugar to medium peak. 
• Prepare blood orange segments by cutting the top and bottom of the orange creating a stable cutting surface. With the bottom of the orange on the cutting board, gently run the knife from top to bottom just taking off the skin. Working your way around the orange you should be able to see the red/purple flesh of the blood orange along with the membranes that hold each segment together. Once all of the skin is removed, hold the orange in your hand, gently run a small paring knife down each side of the membranes which should loosen the orange segments. Place in separate bowl and hold for the plating of the dessert.
• When ready to serve, run a knife around the edge of the ramekin to break the connection between the flan and ramekin. Be very careful not to damage the flan by inserting the knife too far in to the ramekin.
• Turn each ramekin on a dessert plate and gently tap it to remove the flan.
• Spoon the desired amount of whipped cream on top and place segments of orange around the flan.
• You can also top this with pomegranate seeds, toasted almonds, or candied citrus peel.