Coconut Custard - "Flan de Coco"

I wanted to share a recipe my family and I have come to love. This is something I usually make during the Holidays and it's always eaten up immediately. It's FLAN DE COCO or Coconut Custard. (This recipe makes 2 custards - 24 servings.)

Ingredients:

1 can Cream of Coconut
1 can Evaporated Milk
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk

1/2 cup sugar
2-3 drops vanilla extract or lemon juice
1/4 cup of water

5 large eggs

Materials:

2 - 13" Cake pans (for double boiling in the oven [baño de Maria])
2 - 8" round cake pans (for the flan)
Non-stick pan
Metal spoon
Cake Mixer
Spatula
Oven

Instructions:

PREPARE CARAMEL

1. Pour sugar and water into non-stick pan and heat at med-high temperature.

2. Add 2-3 drops of vanilla extract or lemon to the pan.

3. Stir the caramel mixture with a metal spoon since it will get very hot (plus it's easier to clean up later).

4. Heat mixture for 10-13 minutes ...

... until mixture caramelizes to a golden brown.

*****WARNING! Caramel will be extremely hot. Handle with care.*****

5. Place 8" round cake pans on a safe surface (not on a plastic surface or on top of a plastic table cloth since the caramel will heat the pans and can melt any surface it is on). Then pour half of the mixture in one pan and the other half in the other.

6. Take the pans while the caramel is hot and roll the pans to allow the caramel to spread evenly on the bottom.

xxx TIP: To Clean Pan and Metal Spoon xxx

+ Fill the pan with soap and water and place over low heat. Fold some paper towel and place in pan and use metal spoon to slowly stir around the pan to clean up excess caramel. Then place in the sink under cold running water to cool down.

PREPARE CUSTARD

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.

2. Place eggs into mixer and mix until creamy.

3. Add Sweetened Condensed milk to mixer.

4. Fill can of condensed milk half full WITH WATER and pour into mixer.

5. Add Cream of Coconut to mixer and mix.

6. Add can of Evaporated milk to mixer and mix.

7. Now that the custard is mixed, pour evenly into both round pans on top of the hardened caramel.

8. Place rectangular pans into the oven.

9. Carefully place the round custard-filled pans into the rectangular pans.

10. Now carefully pour water into rectangular pans and fill to 1/4" below rim of round pan.

11. Bake custards for 40 minutes and test with a toothpick to make sure the custard is ready. If the toothpick comes out clean, it's ready to cool. If not, bake for an additional 10 minutes.

12. When custard is finished baking, place on a cooling wrack for about an hour ...

... then place in the refrigerator over night.

13. Flip over onto a flat plate for presentation (caramel on top) and serve.

¡Buen provecho! (Bon Appetit)