Apple Flan Loaf with Caramelized Sugar Syrup
From a recipe by Penelope Casas
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A sweet and hearty custard filled with apple flavor. This flan can be prepared the day before. Serves 4. Ingredients For the custard:- 1 pound Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and sliced into 1/4" pieces
- 4 Tbsp butter, cut into pieces
- 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp dry white wine
- 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 5 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
For the syrup:- 1/2 cup sugar
- 8 Tbsp water
Instructions Combine the apples, butter, lemon juice, wine, cinnamon and nutmeg in a saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat until the apples are tender, about 20 minutes.While the apples cook, make the sugar syrup. Dissolve the sugar and 3 Tbsp of the water in a small saucepan. Cook over high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture turns a light golden color and attains a syrupy consistency. Turn off the heat. SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY stir in the remaining 5 Tbsp of water. (See note!!!) Pour into a loaf pan that measures about 7 by 3 by 2 inches. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. When the apples are tender, remove the lid from the pan and continue cooking the apples over moderately high heat until most of the liquid disappears. Pass the apples through a strainer. In a separate bowl combine the eggs and the sugar with a whisk. When thoroughly combined, whisk in the apple puree. Slowly and carefully spoon the mixture into the loaf pan. Place a larger pan filled with hot water onto your oven's middle rack, and then place the loaf pan in the pan of water. Bake until the custard is fairly firm to the touch in the center. Start checking after 1 hour. Remove the loaf pan from the oven and allow to cool. Thoroughly chill in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, slide a knife down the four sides of the loaf pan to release the custard from the pan. Invert onto a serving dish, allowing the liquid syrup to flow over the flan and into the dish. Cut 1/2-inch slices and place two slices on each dessert plate. Garnish with your favorite berries and spoon some of the syrup over the berries and flan.
Notes - When you add the water to the hot sugar syrup, be VERY CAREFUL! The water will boil and foam up. Hot steam will rise from the pan. Add the water slowly, as slow as necessary to prevent it from boiling over.
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