I’m planning a Mexican dinner party this weekend and found myself a little stuck on what to serve for dessert. After a bit of searching, I discovered that crème caramel is incredibly popular in Mexico, where it’s known as flan or Flan Mexicano. That made the decision easy – flan it is! But why stop there? I decided to give the classic dessert a little twist by adding one of Mexico’s most famous liqueurs: Kahlúa..
Caramel
1 cup caster sugar
½ cup water
Custard
4 eggs
½ cup caster sugar
300 ml pure cream
½ cup milk
¼ cup Kahlúa coffee liqueur
1½ tbsp shot of coffee or instant coffee granules
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Whipped cream
Chocolate-covered coffee beans
1. Prepare caramel
Combine 1 cup caster sugar with ½ cup water in a saucepan.
Heat gently until the sugar dissolves.
Increase heat and boil without stirring (very important you don’t stir) until it turns deep golden.
Quickly pour into a 20 cm cake tin or 6 ramekins, swirling to coat the base.
Leave to set.
2. Make the custard
Make your shot of espresso, or if you are using instant coffee, dissolve in 2 tbsp boiling water and cool.
In a bowl, whisk eggs and sugar until pale.
Heat cream, milk, Kahlúa, and vanilla in a saucepan until hot (not boiling).
Slowly whisk the hot mixture into the eggs.
Stir in the 1½ tbsp coffee into mixture and strain through a sieve.
3. Bake
Pour custard into the caramel-lined tin/ramekins.
Place in a roasting tray and add boiling water halfway up the sides (bain-marie).
Bake at 160 °C for 45–50 minutes until just set with a slight wobble.
4. Chill
Cool to room temperature.
Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
5. Serve
Run a knife around the edge and invert onto a plate.
The caramel sauce will flow over the custard.
Top with whipped cream or coffee beans if desired.
Tips
Straining the custard removes bubbles and gives a silky texture.
Don’t over-bake in the oven – the custard should still jiggle slightly.
Works well in individual ramekins for restaurant plating.
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