Dark Chocolate Flan With New Mexican Chili Cinnamon And Pepita Recipes

CHOCOLATE FLAN

Steps:

• Cook ½ cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to melt and turn brown around the edges. Using a heatproof rubber spatula, pull melted sugar at edges toward center of unmelted sugar. Continue cooking, pulling in melted sugar, until all the sugar is melted and caramel is uniformly dark brown (it should smell toasty but not burnt), 10-12 minutes total (if you still have undissolved lumps of sugar, stir off heat until they melt). Pour caramel into 8"-diameter cake pan to create an even, ⅛"-¼" deep layer. Let cool.
• Bring 1 cup water to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in cocoa powder until no lumps remain, then add cream, milk, vanilla bean and cinnamon stick and return to a simmer. Remove from heat and let steep 30 minutes.
• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Purée eggs with sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt in a blender until smooth and sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Strain chocolate mixture into egg mixture and blend at low speed to combine, discard solids. Skim foam off the top and transfer to prepared baking dish.
• Line a roasting pan with a thick kitchen towel; this will keep baking dish from sliding and will insulate flan, preventing it from overcooking. Set dishes on towel and place roasting pan in oven. Pour boiling water into pan until it reaches the same level as flan in baking dishes. Bake flan until it looks set like Jell-O (it will wobble when gently shaken), 35-45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Cover with plastic and chill until set and cold, at least 3 hours and up to 24.
• Meanwhile, increase oven to 350°. Toss sesame seeds, syrup, and ¼ teaspoons salt in a small bowl. Scrape onto a silpat- or parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and spread in a even layer. Bake brittle until sesame are golden brown and syrup is bubbly, 15-20 minutes. Let cool until hardened, then break up into small pieces; discard any dark brown, bitter pieces.
• Run a small knife around edges of flan to loosen. Invert onto a platter and top with crushed candy.
• Do Ahead: Flan can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Unmold and serve.

DARK CHOCOLATE FLAN WITH PUMPKINSEED PRALINE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet lined with nonstick liner, buttered parchment or waxed paper, spread pepitas close together in a single layer.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup sugar and 6 tablespoons water. Bring to a simmer, stirring only until sugar is dissolved. Continue to cook, tilting pan occasionally to distribute heat evenly, until a caramel of a deep amber color forms, about 15 minutes.
• Working quickly (before caramel cools and hardens), pour half the hot caramel into a 9-inch loaf pan, tilting pan to coat bottom and a bit of the sides. Pour remaining caramel over pepitas, using an offset spatula to help spread caramel if necessary. Let both pans cool completely. When pepita praline is cool, break into 2-inch pieces.
• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine milk, cream, chili powder, cinnamon, peppercorns and star anise. Bring to a simmer over high heat; reduce to medium and simmer 5 minutes. Let stand, off heat, 15 minutes. Return to a simmer, turn off heat and whisk in chocolate until smooth.
• In a bowl, whisk eggs, remaining 1/3 cup sugar and the salt together. Whisking constantly, slowly pour hot chocolate mixture into eggs until fully combined. Pour custard through a fine sieve into caramel-coated loaf pan. Place loaf pan in a deep roasting pan. Add 2 inches hot tap water to roasting pan. Cover roasting pan tightly with foil; prick foil all over with a fork.
• Carefully transfer pan to oven. Bake until flan is lightly set but still jiggles when shaken (lifting foil to check), about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer loaf pan to a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate flan at least 4 hours or overnight.
• To serve, run an offset spatula along sides of pan to gently release it. Turn onto a serving platter and top with pepita praline; serve in slices.

DARK CHOCOLATE FLAN

Steps:

• Make caramel by slowly heating the sugar in a small saucepan until golden and liquid. Be careful not to stir too much, as this will cause crystals to form. Pour the very hot, molten sugar into the flan mold (this can either be a round pan or a bundt pan - I usually use a bundt pan because I like the pretty pattern the flan takes). Be sure to tilt the mold so that the caramel coats the sides.
• In a small saucepan, heat the milk, cinnamon, and chocolate pieces, stirring occasionally to help the chocolate melt. Let this cool down to just warm and remove the cinnamon stick. Blend the rest of the ingredients together gradually adding the milk mixture.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Pour into caramelized pan and bake in a hot water bath (bain marie) for about 50-55 minutes or until golden. Test with a knife or toothpick, it should come out clean. Remove from oven, cool, unmold and serve. (If you are having trouble unmolding the flan, run a small, sharp knife around sides of pan to help release.).

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE FLAN

Steps:

• Combine the first amount of sugar with the water and lemon juice in a small, heavy-based saucepan.
• Cook over gentle heat until the sugar dissolves.
• Swirl the pan from time to time, but do not stir.
• Once the sugar is liquified, bring the syrup to a boil and cook until golden brown.
• While preparing the syrup, heat 4 custard cups in a 350 degree oven.
• When the syrup is ready, pour into the dishes and swirl to coat the sides and base evenly.
• Leave to cool at room temperature.
• Chop the chocolate into small pieces and heat with the milk and cinnamon, stirring occasionally to help the chocolate dissolve.
• Whisk the whole eggs and the yolks together with the remaining sugar until slightly frothy.
• Gradually whisk in the chocolate milk.
• Remove cinnamon stick.
• Carefully pour the chocolate custard into the custard cups and place them in a roasting pan.
• Pour hand hot water in pan to a depth of one inch.
• Place the roasting pan in the oven and bake the custards until just slightly wobbly in the center, about 20-30 minutes.
• Cool at room temperature and refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving.
• Loosen the custards carefully from the sides of the dishes and invert onto serving plates.
• Shake to allow the custard to drop out.