Orange Cardamom Flan Recipes

ORANGE-ALMOND FLAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar with 1/4 cup water. Stir until completely dissolved. Place pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until syrup begins to bubble. Stop stirring and allow pan to sit until syrup begins to turn golden at edges, brushing down any sugar crystals with a brush dipped in cold water. Occasionally rotate pan to mix syrup without stirring it, then replace over heat. Continue doing this until syrup is evenly golden brown. Pour caramel into an 8-inch round flan mold or cake pan, or 10 to 12 3-inch fluted molds, tilting to spread caramel evenly along bottom. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, mix together remaining 2 cups sugar with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool until lukewarm.
• Whisk together yolks and whole eggs until blended, then pour through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Add orange zest, orange juice and ground almonds. Whisk in sugar syrup. Pour into caramel-lined mold or molds, filling to just below rim. Cover mold or molds tightly with foil.
• Place mold or molds into a larger pan. Pour enough hot water into large pan to reach halfway up side of flan mold. Bake until a knife inserted halfway into flan comes out clean, 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on type of pan and oven used.
• Allow flan to cool, then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours. Just before serving, warm base of pan by dipping it briefly in a pan of hot water. Invert onto a plate, and serve immediately.

CARDAMOM-COFFEE FLAN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Cook milk, orange zest, cardamom, 3/4 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp. coffee in saucepan 5 to 7 min. or until sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Reserve for later use.
• Meanwhile, cook water, corn syrup and remaining sugar in separate saucepan on medium heat 15 to 20 min. or until mixture is a light amber color, gently swirling pan every few minutes. (Do not stir.) Turn off heat. Add remaining coffee; stir until dissolved. Pour into 9-inch round pan; swirl to evenly coat bottom of pan with sugar mixture. Cool slightly.
• Pour reserved milk mixture through fine-mesh strainer into blender or food processor container. Add cream cheese; blend until smooth. Add eggs; blend well. Carefully pour over syrup in pan.
• Place filled 9-inch pan in larger pan, then place on middle rack in oven. Add enough water to larger pan to come halfway up side of 9-inch pan.
• Bake 48 to 57 min. or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Remove flan from water bath; cool completely.
• Refrigerate flan 4 hours. When ready to serve, place flan pan in larger pan filled with hot tap water. Let stand 2 min. Run knife around edge of pan to loosen flan; unmold onto plate.

RICH ORANGE FLAN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Spread sugar evenly over bottom of heavy skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar melts and turns light caramel color. Add 3 tablespoons boiling water, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pour into ungreased quiche dish or 10-inch glass deep-dish pie pan or 8-inch (2-quart) square baking dish . Tilt to evenly cover bottom; set aside.
• In medium bowl, beat remaining ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes or until thoroughly blended. Pour over caramelized sugar. Place baking dish in large pan (broiler pan). Pour 1 inch hot water into broiler pan.
• Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until mixture is almost set and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 1 hour; refrigerate 1 hour. Run knife around outside edge to loosen; turn upside down onto 12-inch round serving plate with raised sides to hold liquid. Garnish with spun sugar.

CARDAMOM-ORANGE FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, sugar, orange zest, vanilla, cardamom, and salt until eggs are broken up and evenly combined. Soak 3 bread slices in egg mixture turning once, until soaked through, about 4 minutes total.
• Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. When butter foams, place 3 pieces soaked bread in the pan and cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining bread. Serve topped with Honeyed Strawberries.
• Mix honey, vanilla, and orange juice together in a medium bowl until honey is dissolved. Add strawberries, stir to coat, and let sit until berries give off their juices, at least 5 minutes. Stir briefly before using.

ORANGE-CARDAMOM FLAN

Steps:

• To make the custard, lightly crush the cardamom seeds in a mortar and pestle or seal them inside a sturdy plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
• In a medium saucepan, heat the milk, crushed cardamom seeds, orange zest, and 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once warm, remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 1 hour.
• Set eight 4- to 6-ounce (125- to 180-ml) ramekins or custard cups in a roasting pan or deep baking dish.
• To make the caramel, spread the 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar in an even layer in a medium heavy-bottomed skillet or saucepan. Pour 1/4 cup (60 ml) water evenly over the sugar to dampen it, but don't stir. Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then add the cream of tartar or lemon juice. Continue to cook without stirring, but swirl the pan if the sugar begins to brown unevenly. When the caramel turns dark amber in color and begins to foam a bit, remove from the heat and immediately add the remaining 1/4 cup (60 ml) water. The caramel will bubble up vigorously, then the bubbling will subside. Stir with a heatproof utensil until any hardened bits of caramel completely dissolve. Divide the hot caramel evenly among the 8 ramekins, then carefully swirl each ramekin so that the caramel coats the sides halfway up. Let cool completely.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).
• To finish the custard, reheat the milk mixture until it's quite warm. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks, then gradually whisk the warm milk into the eggs, whisking constantly as you pour to prevent the eggs from cooking (don't whisk too vigorously, which will create air bubbles). Pour the mixture through a mesh strainer into a large measuring cup or pitcher.
• Divide the custard mixture evenly among the caramel-lined ramekins. Fill the roasting pan or baking dish with warm water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake until the perimeters of the custards are just set and the centers are still slightly jiggly, 25 to 35 minutes.
• Transfer the custards from the water bath to a wire rack and let cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled.
• To unmold, run a sharp knife around the inside of each ramekin to loosen the custard, invert a serving plate or bowl over the ramekin, and turn them over together. Shake a few times to release the custard, then lift off the ramekin. (If the custard is stubborn, using a finger, gently pull it away from the side of the ramekin and invert again; it should slide out easily.) Pour any caramel remaining in the ramekin over the flan.
• Serve the flans cold.
• The baked custards will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
• Surround the custards with poached dried fruit of your choosing. To make the poaching syrup: In a saucepan, heat 1 part honey or sugar to 4 parts water along with 1 cinnamon stick or 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise. Once the syrup is warm, drop in pitted prunes; raisins; dried apricots, figs, cranberries, or cherries; or any combination of dried fruits. Simmer gently until the fruits are plump and soft.

ORANGE FLAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a bowl whisk the eggs, egg yolks and sugar together, then add zest, orange juice, heavy cream, and salt, and whisk to combine. Strain the mixture and fill caramelized lined ramekins. Put ramekins in hot water bath and bake in the preheated oven for 18 minutes or until firm.
• Allow to cool to room temperature then refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.
• Caramel:
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• Put the sugar and water in a saucepan, and bring to a simmer without stirring. Cover the saucepan with a lid for 2 minutes, them remove and simmer until mixture is an amber color. Pour caramel into ramekins to cover the bottom, and swirl to coat 1/3 up the sides of ramekins.
• Yield: enough to coat 4 to 6 ramekins

FLAN DE NARANJA (ORANGE FLAN)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Fill a baking dish half way with hot water for the water bath.
• Heat sugar and water in a heavy-based saucepan over medium-low heat; constantly swirl the sugar mixture in the pan until sugar dissolves and turns into a golden-brown caramel syrup, about 10 minutes. Watch carefully, as sugar burns easily. Pour melted caramel into a shallow baking dish and gently tilt dish to coat the bottom with caramel.
• Mix egg yolks, condensed milk, evaporated milk, orange juice, and orange zest in a large oven-safe bowl; gently pour custard over caramel in baking dish. Cover the flan with foil to prevent a skin forming on top, if you like.
• Set bowl into the water bath and bake in the preheated oven until until flan has set but still jiggles slightly when moved, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Allow flan to cool to room temperature, then remove foil, and place flan in the fridge to chill, about 2 hours.
• Run a knife around the edges of the flan to loosen from dish; turn flan onto a rimmed serving plate to release custard and let caramel sauce flow over the flan.

BLOOD ORANGE FLAN

Steps:

• Make the caramel layer: Have ready 6 four-ounce ramekins. Put sugar and 1/2 cup water in a wide saucepan over medium-high heat. Let mixture simmer without stirring until water has evaporated and sugar begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Shake pan and continue cooking until sugar is quite brown and beginning to burn. Off heat, carefully add 2 tablespoons blood orange juice. Stir with long-handled spoon to incorporate, then pour or spoon some of the caramel into bottom of each ramekin, dividing evenly. Caramel should set. (This can be done several hours ahead.)
• Make the custard: Warm the half-and-half over medium heat in a saucepan until hot but not boiling. Add lemon peel, orange peel, coriander seeds, cardamom pods and fennel seeds. Add sugar and vanilla extract and stir to dissolve. Turn off heat and let mixture steep for at least 15 minutes. Whisk in blood orange juice.
• Beat eggs in a mixing bowl. Temper the eggs by slowly whisking 1 cup of warm half-and-half mixture into the mixing bowl. Pour contents of mixing bowl back into the saucepan and combine with remaining half-and-half. Strain into a wide-mouth pitcher with spout.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Pour strained custard mixture into prepared ramekins, filling each to the top. Place ramekins in a roasting pan in a single layer and add hot water to the pan to reach halfway up sides of ramekins. Cover pan with foil and bake until custards have set, 30 to 45 minutes. To test custards, insert a paring knife. It should come out clean, and custard should not be wiggly. Remove from pan and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate ramekins, covered with plastic wrap, for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Make the blood orange caramel sauce (if desired): Simmer sugar and 1/2 cup water in a wide saucepan over medium heat. When water has evaporated and sugar begins to brown, swirl pan until caramel is very dark, almost burned. Off heat, carefully add 1/2 cup blood orange juice and stir well to dissolve caramel. Pour sauce into a serving pitcher. Cover and leave at room temperature until you are ready to serve (or chill if you are leaving it overnight).
• Remove ramekins from refrigerator 15 minutes before serving. To serve, run a small knife around the inside edge of each ramekin to loosen custard. Invert ramekin over a shallow soup bowl or dessert plate. Carefully remove ramekin to reveal a custard topped with a caramel layer. Serve with blood orange caramel sauce, if desired.

COFFEE-CARDAMOM FLANS WITH ORANGE CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• Stir 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup water, and corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until caramel is deep amber color, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 7 minutes. Working quickly, pour caramel into eight 3/4-cup custard cups. Tilt and rotate each cup to coat sides and bottom.
• Stir milk, ground coffee, cardamom, and 1/2 cup sugar in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture simmers. Remove pan from heat; let mixture steep 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk egg yolks, whole eggs, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl to blend. Return milk mixture to simmer; gradually whisk into egg mixture. Line sieve with several layers of moistened cheesecloth; strain custard into bowl, then divide among caramel-lined cups. Arrange cups in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Pour enough hot water into baking pan to come halfway up sides of cups. Cover pan loosely with foil.
• Bake flans 20 minutes. Lift foil to allow steam to escape. Replace foil. Bake flans until softly set in center, lifting foil every 10 minutes, about 35 minutes longer. Remove flans from water. Chill flans 4 hours; cover and chill overnight.
• Run knife around flans. Turn out onto plates. Serve with crème fraîche.

ORANGE CARDAMOM COOKIES

Steps:

• Make dough:
• Whisk together flour, zest, cardamom, and salt.
• Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, then beat in yolk and cream. At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches just until a dough forms. Quarter dough and form each piece into a 6-inch disk, then chill, wrapped separately in plastic wrap, until firm, 2 to 3 hours.
• Cut and bake cookies:
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
• Roll out 1 piece of dough between sheets of parchment paper into an 11-inch round (1/8 inch thick). Slide dough in parchment onto a tray and chill until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Cut out as many cookies as possible with cookie cutter (chill dough again if necessary), reserving and chilling scraps. Transfer cookies to a parchment-lined large baking sheet, arranging them 1 inch apart.
• Bake until edges are golden-brown, 9 to 12 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes, then slide cookies, still on parchment, onto a rack to cool completely.
• Make more cookies with remaining dough and scraps (reroll only once) on cooled freshly lined baking sheets.
• If icing cookies and coloring icing, transfer small batches to small bowls, 1 for each color, and tint with food coloring. Spoon each color of icing into separate sealable bags, pressing out excess air, and snip an 1/8-inch opening in 1 bottom corner of each bag. Pipe icing onto a plate to test consistency. If too thick, thin a small batch with a few drops of orange juice.
• Decoratively pipe icing onto cookies, then sprinkle with decorative sugar (if using) and let dry completely, about 1 hour (depending on humidity).