Flan with Port-Soaked Cherries (Flan de Yema Con Cerezas de Itxassou)

Difficulty:
1/5
a small serving of flan with cherries on the top

A velvety smooth flan with a sweet and creamy custard centre and luscious caramel topping. Topped with port-poached sweet cherries, this is an irresistible dessert!

 

Ingredients:

 

Marinated Cherries

  • 2 cups (480ml) port
  • Peel of 1 lemon
    4 cloves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 star anise
  • 30 large cherries, pitted
  • 1 cup (240ml) maple syrup
  • 1/8 tsp (.75ml) salt

 

Flan de Yema:

  • 2 ¼ cups (530ml) sugar, divided
  • 2 whole eggs, beaten
  • 4 egg yolks, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240ml) milk
  • 1 cup (240ml) crème fraîche
  • 1/8 tsp (.75ml) salt

 

Method:

 

Marinated Cherries

  • In a medium saucepan, combine port, lemon peel, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, cherries, and salt.
  • Heat over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer.
  • Simmer for 18 to 20 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:

  • In a small saucepan, combine two cups (470ml) of the sugar and the maple syrup.
  • Heat over medium-high heat for 8-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves completely and liquid thickens to a light brown caramel.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Pour caramel into six ramekins and refrigerate until caramel is hard.
  • Preheat oven to 320 F (160 C).
  • To make the flan, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, remaining sugar, and salt.
  • In a small saucepan, heat milk and crème fraiche over medium heat until hot.
  • 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 the ramekins onto a serving dish and gently remove the ramekins.
  • Serve flan cold, garnished with four or five of the Marinated Cherries.