Cashew Flan
This dessert is an all-time favorite recipe of my family. Cashews add a unique flavor and richness to this flan without compromising the silky texture of it. This recipe is also relatively low in fat because we substituted whole milk for cream, so you can eat this creamy dessert without any guilt!
Ingredients
- 8 cashews whole, raw, ground to a powder
- 3 eggs
- 7 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups whole milk
Caramel Sauce
- 7 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp water
- 1 tsp melted butter/ghee
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 ° F
- Grind cashews in a blender to a fine powder, and keep it aside. Adding a little sugar while grinding the cashews prevents clumping.
- Heat a one-quart saucepan on medium heat. Add butter or ghee, seven tablespoons sugar and three tablespoons water. Keep stirring until the sauce turns a rich golden brown. Immediately pour it in to six (6) six-ounce individual ramekins. The sauce will turn hard very quickly. Keep ramekins aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs, vanilla extract, and sugar with a wire whisk or hand-mixer for 2-3 minutes or until creamy yellow. Add cashew powder and whisk for another one minute. Then add one-cup of milk at a time and whisk it until the mixture is smooth. To achieve a silky texture of the flan and avoid any cashew grains, strain the mixture.
- Pour the mixture into the ramekins with the caramel. To retain moisture in the flan, use a water bath while baking. Place the ramekins in a roasting pan and put it in the preheated oven. Then, carefully add hot water to the roasting pan until the lower half of the ramekins are in the water. Bake it for 18-20 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
- Remove ramekins from the water and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours. Just before serving, run a knife around the inside edges of ramekins to loosen the flan. Dip each ramekin in a bowl with hot water to soften the caramel. Place a dessert plate on top of the ramekin and quickly invert it for easy removal. Serve it with whipped cream (optional).
Notes
Can substitute whole milk with cream or half-and-half for a richer flan
