How To Make Coffee Flan

Step 1: You will need

Step 2: Preheat the oven

Set the oven to 160ºC (315ºF/ gas mark 2.5).

Step 3: Make the caramel

Put the sugar into a hot pan over a medium-high heat and add the water. Allow to slowly brown, stirring occasionally, which will take a few minutes. As soon as it begins to caramelize keep stirring to help the process along. When it becomes a rich golden colour remove from the heat.

Step 4: Transfer to metal cups

Pour a tablespoon of the hot caramel into each of the aluminium cups.

Step 5: Make the coffee sauce

Add the milk and cream into a warmed pan under a medium-high heat. Add the condensed milk, vanilla essence, dissolved coffee, cinnamon stick and the cardamom pods and stir. Bring to a boil and turn off the heat. Leave for a few minutes to infuse the flavours.

Step 6: Whisk the eggs

Put the eggs into a bowl and whisk them briefly. Slowly add a small amount of the hot coffee sauce and whisk it in. Add the rest of the hot sauce and mix in well.

Step 7: Strain

When the sauce is well combined, pour through the sieve into another saucepan.

Step 8: Pour into metal cups

Place the cups into the roasting tray lined with a tea towel, which helps to stabilize the cups whilst cooking. Pour the hot sauce into a tall jug and then into each of the metal cups, leaving a space of about 1cm at the top. Finally, pour hot water into the pan to about a third of the height of the pan. This process is called Bain Marie which means cooking over a water bath. It also stops it from overheating.

Step 9: Bake

Carefully place the roasting tray into the oven and bake for roughly 15-20 minutes until the flans set. After this time, give them a little shake to see if they have set and remove from the oven.

Step 10: Allow to cool

Remove the cups from the roasting tray and allow them to cool down for a few minutes before continuing to the next step.

Step 11: Chill

Discard the water and tea towel from the roasting tray and return the metal cups. Place the tray in the fridge for a few hours to chill.

Step 12: Remove the flans

When thoroughly chilled, take the flans from the fridge and with a small, sharp knife work your way around the edges of the metal cup and carefully turn it over. Press down lightly on the base of the tin to gently ease the flan out. Place it onto a large serving plate. Repeat with all the other flans.

Step 13: Serve

After a day or so the caramel will liquefy, so we recommended that you eat the flans within 24 hours whilst they are still fresh.