Flan with Port-Soaked Cherries

Ease of preparation rating: Complex.

Yield:  6 servings.

Marinated Cherries

Ingredients:

2 cups (470 ml) port

1 lemon, peel

4 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

1 star anise

30 large cherries, pitted

1/8 tsp (0.75 ml) salt

1 cup (240 ml) maple syrup

Method:

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine port, lemon peel, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, cherries, and salt. Bring to a simmer.

Cook for eighteen to twenty minutes, until cherries have blistered and released their juices, then add maple syrup.

Remove cherries from heat and refrigerate to cool completely.

Flan de Yema

Ingredients:

2 ¼ cups (530 ml) sugar, divided

2 whole eggs, beaten

4 egg yolks, beaten

1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract

1 cup (240 ml) milk

1 cup (240 ml) crème fraîche

1/8 tsp (0.75 ml) salt

Method:

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, begin melting two cups (470 ml) of the sugar. Cook for 8-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves completely and liquid thickens to a light brown caramel.

Remove the pan from the heat and pour caramel into six ramekins. Transfer the ramekins to the refrigerator until the caramel has hardened.

Preheat oven to 320 F (160 C).

In a large, heatproof bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, remaining sugar, and salt.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm milk and crème fraîche until just before simmering.

Pour milk mixture slowly into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from cooking.

Once milk mixture is incorporated, pour mixture into the ramekins over the hardened caramel.

Transfer ramekins to a deep baking dish and add water to the baking dish until it reaches halfway up the ramekins.

Place dish into the oven and bake for forty to forty-five minutes.

Allow ramekins to cool to room temperature before transferring them to the refrigerator to set.

To remove the flan from the ramekins, slide a sharp knife around the sides of the cooled flan.

Flip onto a serving dish and gently remove the ramekins from the flan.

Serve flan cold, garnished with Marinated Cherries.