Caramel-Topped Flan with Dark Rum-Roasted Bananas and Coconut

Caramel-Topped Flan with Dark Rum-Roasted Bananas and Coconut

Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water

3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup dark rum (I used Bacardi, but Meyers is good)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large bananas, sliced diagonally, about 1/4-inch thick

Sweetened flaked coconut, for sprinkling (toasted or untoasted)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place an 8-inch cake pan into the oven to warm up.

Whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Boil, without stirring, until sugar is golden brown. Pour into hot cake pan (using oven mitts), and swirl to coat bottom of pan.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar, until well combined.
In a large saucepan, over medium heat heat, bring cream and half-and-half to a simmer; gradually whisk hot cream into eggs, until combined. Whisk in vanilla extract. Using a ladle, skim the foam off the surface of custard.

Pour custard into cake pan, and place pan in a large roasting dish or pan. Add hot water to the roasting pan - enough to come halfway up the sides of cake pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted into custard comes out clean. Cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours, or until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, make the Dark Rum-Roasted Bananas: melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, rum and salt; bring mixture to a boil, and boil for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, or until thickened and bubbly. Add bananas to pan, and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until softened and well coated.

Invert flan onto a serving platter. Spoon bananas on top of flan, and sprinkle with coconut.

Makes 6-8 servings