Flan With Bananas

Description

This custard is a favorite with children and adults but is a bit time consuming. Recipe source: bon appetit (february, 1986). Cook time is both top of stove and in oven

Ingredients

• Butter
• Bananas
• Sugar
• Lemon Juice
• Brandy
• Whipping Cream
• Vanilla Bean
• Egg Yolks
• Cracked Ice
• Brown Sugar

Instructions

1. Melt butter in skillet over medium-low heat
2. Add bananas and 1 tablespoon sugar
3. Mix to coat bananas with butter
4. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
5. With the back of a wooden spoon mash bananas against the side of the pan until they are a chunky puree
6. Stir in lemon juice
7. If using brandy, increase the heat to high and add brandy
8. Cook one minute
9. Take off heat
10. Put banana puree into six 1-cup custard dishes or ramekins
11. Preheat oven to 300f
12. In saucepan, bring cream and vanilla bean to a boil
13. Turn off heat and set aside
14. In a double boiler over simmering water, combine yolks and 5 tablespoons sugar, stirring constantly for 15 minutes or until mixture coats back of spoon
15. Mix in vanilla cream and stir until mixture thickens to light cream consistency
16. Remove vanilla bean
17. Spoon custard into dishes over the banana mixture
18. Place dishes in roasting pan
19. Pour hot water into roasting pan to depth of 1 / 2 inch
20. Bake custards for 50 – 60 minutes or until set
21. Check with knife inserted in middle of one custard
22. Knife will come out clean
23. Remove from pan
24. Cover dishes with plastic wrap and put in refrigerator to cool)
25. Preheat broiler
26. Put cracked ice in broiler pan and put custard dishes in pan
27. Sprinkle each custard with 2 teaspoons brown sugar
28. Broil 4 inches from heat until sugar caramelizes–watch carefully–this happens very fast