Belgian Plum Flan Recipes

Steps:

• Cream together sugar, butter.
• Beat in eggs, beat well.
• Combine flour, baking powder and rind.
• Beat into egg mixture alternately with milk, making 3 additions of flour and 2 of milk.
• Put batter into greased 10 inch springform pan or a 9 inch square baking dish.
• Arrange plums, cut side down, in circles on top, gently press into batter.
• Combine topping- sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle over fruit.
• Bake in 350 degree (180 C) oven 45-55 minutes.

Steps:

• Place water & caster sugar in a lrg saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring. Then add plums & mix well.
• Reduce heat & cook for 5-10 min till plums are just tender, but still intact. Remove from heat & allow to cool.
• In a lrg mixing bowl, beat together the granulated sugar & egg yolks till pale & thick. Whisk in the flour till smooth.
• Gradually add boiling milk in a steady stream, whisking constantly.
• Transfer to a saucepan & slowly heat to near boiling point, stirring constantly. Cont to cook for a further 2 min, stirring all the time.
• Remove from the heat, beat in the butter & vanilla extract. Then stand the saucepan in cold water & cont to stir till cooled.
• Once cold, pour the creme into the pastry case. Then arrange the plums (cut sides down) in the filled case. The tops of the plums should stand above the crème. Set aside.
• In a small saucepan, melt jam w/the lemon juice over a low heat, mixing well.
• Brush the apricot mixture over the top of the plums to glaze them. Then refrigerate to get completely cold before serving.

Steps:

• Make the shortcrust pastry: sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Rub in the butter cut into small pieces until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the cold water and mix to a dough. Chill for 15 minutes before using to line a 24cm flan tin.
• Preheat your oven to 200°C.
• Mix the filling ingredients together.
• Place the plums cut side up onto the flan case. Pour the filling on top.
• Put into the oven for 20 minutes.
• Mix the demerara sugar and the mixed spice and sprinkle onto the flan. Put the flan back in the oven at 230°C for another 20 minutes until golden on top.
• Leave to cool for a few minutes before serving or serve cold with vanilla ice-cream.

Steps:

• To caramelize the sugar: Add the sugar to a medium heavy saucepan over medium low heat. When sugar starts to melt, stir gently and occasionally until it starts to turns light, clear brown; do not let it burn. Be carefull at this point the sugar will be extremely hot! Use oven mits to pour the caramelized sugar into a ring mold/or pan. Swirl the sugar over the sides to completely cover the pan.
• For the flan: Mix all of the ingredients with a blender or mixer. Mix until the ingredients are well incorporated but do not overmix as it will cause bubbles in your flan. Pour mixture into the mold/pan. Put the mold/pan into a larger pan with water in it to make a 'bain marie'. Carefully put this into the oven at 350 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours. Check with a toothpick in the center of the flan to make sure it is set up. Carefully remove your pan from the oven as the water will be very hot.
• Cool the flan for a few hours or better yet overnight in the refrigerator and invert into a serving plate that is large enough to accomodate the flan and some of the caramel.

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Combine cream, milk and salt in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into cream mixture; add bean. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and let steep 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water in another heavy medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and cook without stirring until syrup turns deep amber, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 10 minutes. Quickly pour caramel into six 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups. Using oven mitts as aid, immediately tilt each ramekin to coat sides. Set ramekins into 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
• Whisk eggs, egg yolks and 7 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl just until blended. Gradually and gently whisk cream mixture into egg mixture without creating lots of foam. Pour custard through small sieve into prepared ramekins, dividing evenly (mixture will fill ramekins). Pour enough hot water into baking pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins.
• Bake until centers of flans are gently set, about 40 minutes. Transfer flans to rack and cool. Chill until cold, about 2 hours. Cover and chill overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead.)
• To serve, run small sharp knife around flan to loosen. Turn over onto plate. Shake gently to release flan. Carefully lift off ramekin allowing caramel syrup to run over flan. Repeat with remaining flans and serve.