Tangerine Flan
Published Feb. 2, 2022
- Total Time
- 2 hours, plus at least 4 hours’ refrigerating
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- ½cup/101 grams granulated sugar
- ½cup/118 milliliters tangerine juice (from 3 to 4 medium tangerines)
- 2cups/473 milliliters half-and-half
- ½cup/101 grams granulated sugar
- 2dried bay leaves
- 1small rosemary sprig (optional)
- ¼teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3large eggs, at room temperature
- ½cup/118 milliliters tangerine juice (from 3 to 4 medium tangerines)
- Tangerine segments, for garnish (optional)
For the Caramel
For the Custard
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
291 calories; 12 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 42 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 41 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 86 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Set a rack in the center of the oven, and heat oven to 350 degrees. Have 6 (4-ounce) ramekins ready. Make the caramel: Combine sugar and tangerine juice in a small skillet or saucepan. Set over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar, and bring to a simmer.
- Step 2
Simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Continue simmering until mixture begins to caramelize and brown, stirring or swirling the pan, 5 to 6 minutes more. Let the caramel go as dark as possible without burning, to a deep brown color, then carefully pour a bit in the bottom of each ramekin, dividing the hot caramel among them evenly. Set ramekins aside at room temperature.
- Step 3
Make the custard: Put the half-and half and sugar in a medium saucepan, and set over medium-high heat. Add bay leaves, rosemary (if using) and vanilla. Bring to just under a simmer, then turn off heat. Stir to dissolve sugar.
- Step 4
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and tangerine juice. Whisk in the hot half-and-half mixture a little at a time.
- Step 5
Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl. Set ramekins in a deep baking dish. Fill each ramekin with ½ cup of the strained mixture.
- Step 6
Place baking dish on middle rack in the oven. Add hot tap water to baking dish so it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover dish tightly with foil and bake until custards set, 25 to 30 minutes. Start checking at 15 minutes. When done, custards should look opaque and just a little wiggly. Insert a paring knife into the center of the flan to test. The knife should come out clean.
- Step 7
Carefully remove ramekins from water bath and let cool to room temperature. Wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
- Step 8
To serve, run a small knife around the inside edge of each ramekin to loosen the flan. Invert a dessert plate over the ramekin, then flip plate while securing ramekin. Tap or shake ramekin, lift from plate and the flan will release. Spoon any remaining caramel around flan. Garnish with tangerine segments, if desired.
Private Notes
Comments
Adding O.J. to sugar is a neat idea. Sucrose, glucose & fructose caramelize at 170, 150 & 105 Celsius (Wikipedia, "caramelization"). Water (10% b/w suffices) helps hydrolyze sucrose to glucose+fructose: acid helps glucose isomerize to fructose. But even bottled lemon juice/vinegar (10% instead of 50:50) works: fresh tangerine juice for caramel is overkill. Tangerine zest would help the recipe. (The low-pith peel is ideal for homemade marmalade: blend with bottled lemon juice/citric acid.)
RE: Alternatives to tangerines - clementines, mandarins. All three (along with satsumas) are members of the same citrus subfamily ("mandarins") - the clementine is a mandarin-sweet orange hybrid. They are all (semi)seedless, have thin peels with very little pith, and are ideal for making marmalade or candied peel. (With navel oranges, you have to spend considerable effort scraping off the zest, where the essential oil/flavor is, from the bitter white pith.)
RE: Almond milk substitute for half-and-half - unlikely. Almond milk simply doesn't have anywhere close to the requisite fat content. Consider coconut milk: see webmd.com/digestive-disorders/recipe-ideas
I made the recipe as printed and it turned out perfectly. The texture was creamy and perfect. I served it to guests who practically licked their plates. I next made it as a stirred custard served over fruit. I am making it again and plan to serve it over strawberries and hot milk sponge cake. I love the process and the result of the infused rosemary and bay leaf. I am going to try lavender and cinnamon stick next time. The mandarin is delicious.
Delicious, but: “a deep brown color” seems like the wrong indicator. I did that the first time and most of the caramel stuck to the bottom of the ramekins when served. Also it looked nothing like the photo. The second time I aimed for the photo color and that was perfect.
Mine came out slightly too loose like many other readers', and didn't quite hold its shape when I turned it out. But it was delicious! I think next time I'll add at least one more egg. NYTimes Flan de Leche recipe: 3 cups liquid, 6 whole eggs + 2 egg yolks, 2.5 cups sugar This Tangerine Flan: 2.5 cups liquid, 3 whole eggs, .5 cup sugar The chemistry just doesn't add up for this flan to set.