Ingredients
CARAMEL
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup hot water
CUSTARD
1 cup fresh or canned coconut milk
1 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
This is the ultimate coconut dessert++an adaptation of the classic
"Creme renversee", or "Flan au caramel". The technique used is
distinctly French but the flavors are all Vietnamese.
This custard is at its best when prepared a day in advance and
refrigerated so the flavors can mellow. If you just can't wait, you
might try the Vietnamese method of rapid cooling for dishes such as
this: place a small scoop of shaved ice on top of each custard before
serving!
Preheat the oven to 325F.
Make the caramel: Cook the sugar in a small heavy saucepan over low
heat, swirling the pan constantly, until brown. Stir the hot water
into the caramel, being careful to guard against splattering (the
mixture will bubble vigorously). Boil the mixture, swirling the pan
occasionally, until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved, about 2
minutes.
Pour the caramel syrup into a 1-quart souffle dish or five 4-ounce
ramekins. Tilt the molds to coat all of the surfaces with caramel.
Make the custard: Combine the coconut milk, milk and sugar in a
medium saucepan over low heat. Scald until the sugar dissolves
completely. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla. Gradually whisk the hot
coconut milk mixture into the eggs, blending thoroughly.
Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a bowl. Carefully pour
into the caramel-lined souffle dish or ramekins.
Line a large roasting pan with 2 layers of paper towels (see Note).
Put the souffle dish in the roasting pan and add hot water to reach
halfway up the side of the dish. Bake in the center of the oven for
50 minutes (30 minutes if using ramekins), or until a knife inserted
in the center comes out clean. Be careful not to let the water boil;
do not disturb the custard while baking. This is the only "secret"
to producing a smooth and velvety custard.
Remove the souffle dish immediately from the hot water. Allow to cool
in a cold-water bath. Chill thoroughly.
To serve, run a knife around the edge of the custard and turn out onto
dessert plates. Serve with shaved ice or whipped cream, if desired.
Note: The paper towels in the roasting pan serve a twofold purpose:
First, they allow the hot water to circulate under the souffle dish
while baking to distribute the heat evenly; second, if using small
ramekins, it stabilizes them and keeps them from moving around while
baking.
Yield: 5 servings.
This is from "The Foods of Vietnam" by Nicole Rauthier. Stewart,
Tabori and Chang. 1989.
Posted by Stephen Ceideburg June 26 1990.
Servings: 1 dessert
Coconut Flan With Caramel (Banh Dua Ca Ra Men Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Candy; Dessert; Fruit
The History of Recipes
Academics have tracked the existence of recipes way back into ancient history, at least as far into history as the Egypt of the Pharoahs, and quite possibly further than that. Interesting though that is, sadly, these old cookbooks were just simple hieroglyphic or cunieform instructions for meal preparation.
Fascinatingly, the oldest recipe discovered so far, according to historians are a few tablets in ancient Sumerian which show the making of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as having made those who drank it feel wonderful and blissful. Progressing into The time of the romans 25BC a man called Apicius compiled some scripts detailing recipes cooked by the Romans. In his works, Apicius describes how the meals of wealthy Romans were separated into appetizers, entrees and afters, something that is very familiar to us today. He also tells us how the cooks of Roman times made use of a wide range of spices and herbs, including some familiar names like bay, mint and asafoetida. As our culinary historical trip moves to more modern times we have some recipe books published in the fourteenth century : one book published under the title `Forme of Cury`, and another, similary entitled `Curye on Inglish`. The titles are somewhat misleading tho`, these two books have no connection with the spicy food that appears on menues today, but instead descriptions of the types of meals enjoyed by the upper classes of that period. In the 15th century, knights returning from the crusades brought us many foods and spices from middle-east cuisine, including coriander, parsley, basil and rosemary. These new foods and tastes created an outbreak in cookery books, some of which are kept safe in academic collections. Over the next few centuries, the rich families of Europe competed to offer the most extravagent banquests, and because of this the best cooks and their collection of recipes were greatly in demand. However, it was during the 1800s the formal cooking and recipe publications reached a high level of popularity. The Famous Mrs Isabella Beeton in the UK, and Fannie Farmer in the US, dedicated years of their lives to assembling, testing, and writing down recipes to allow everyone to enjoy them. By the arrival of the twentieth century, recipe books were in great demand, as a result of higher levels of literacy, more leisure time and having more money. |
We hope you enjoy this Coconut Flan With Caramel (Banh Dua Ca Ra Men recipe.
