Video: How to make flan de cafe

Lina Lastra, from Colombia, shows how to make a flan de cafe (coffee flan).

Dora Sierra and Lina Lastra

Lina Lastra came to Dunedin five years ago with her New Zealand husband.

With two small boys, she wants her children to be familiar with the food she ate when she was growing up on the Caribbean coast of Colombia.

She had not learnt to cook at home as they had a cook, and her mother, Dora Sierra, who was visiting her in Dunedin when we visited, only cooked on special occasions.

She is involved with Grupo Hispano Otago, who share food and culture so their children do not lose their Latin American heritage and learned to cook Colombian food here and what to substitute for ingredients that are not available.

Flan, a baked caramel egg custard, is popular in Latin America and can be found in bakeries and cafes everywhere.

This is flavoured with coffee. Colombia is a major exporter of coffee, so they are a nation of coffee drinkers, mainly espresso, she says.

Lina and Dora's flan de cafe. Photos by Gregor Richardson.

Flan de cafe

This flan, like a creme caramel, is not only delicious but quick and easy to make. It needs to chill for at least four hours or overnight before turning out and serving.

Ingredients

1 can (395g) sweetened condensed milk
300g (approx) unsweetened evaporated milk
3 large eggs
a dash (2 tsp) vanilla (optional)
2 Tbsp instant coffee powder (or to taste) dissolved in a little hot water

For the caramel

4 Tbsp sugar

Method

Turn the oven onto 170degC fan bake. Put about 3cm of hot water in a roasting or other large dish that will take the metal slice pan in which you will cook the flan.

Put the milks, eggs, vanilla and dissolved coffee in a blender and blend until smooth.

Put the metal slice pan on the stove to heat and add the sugar. Stir carefully with a wooden spoon until the sugar melts and turns to liquid caramel. Push down on any lumps that are slow to melt. Be careful not to burn it as it will turn quickly. This is very hot so treat with great care.

When the caramel has spread across the pan and is a lovely golden brown and bubbling gently, put the pan in the roasting dish with water. It will hiss because it is so hot.

Pour the egg and milk mix on to the caramel and put in the oven to bake for 45-50 minutes or until cooked.

Remove from oven and cool. Put in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, turn out on a large plate so the caramel is on the top. Decorate with cherries or coffee beans, slice and serve.

• Thanks to Afife Harris and Centre City New World.

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