SAFFRON Cherry FLAN

“This is ALWAYS a good idea. ”

Saffron cherry flan with peaches.

110 g(½ cup) caster sugar

¼ cup (90g) golden syrup

pinch saffron threads

2 cherries, pitted (optional, can be frozen)

6 eggs

395 g can condensed milk

375 ml can evaporated milk

½ cup (125ml) milk

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

Peaches and chopped pistachios to serve  

Preheat oven to 150C. Place the sugar, golden syrup, saffron, and cherry in a non-stick frypan over medium heat and cook swirling the pan until sugar dissolves. Then cook, without stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until the sugar is a deep amber caramel or 154degrees on a sugar thermometer.

Pour into an approx 26cm wide oven proof flan dish. Place in a deep roasting tray and stand to set until required.

Combine eggs, condensed milk, evaporated milk, milk, and vanilla in a bowl. Pour through a fine sieve over toffee. Wrap with foil. Transfer in roasting pan to the oven then use a hot boiled kettle to fill the roasting pan with just-boiled water just over halfway up the flan dish. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until custard is firm on the edges with a slight wobble in the center.  Turn oven off and leave for 20 minutes to cool slightly. Remove from the water bath and stand to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Transfer to the fridge and cool overnight. Then next day run a sharp knife around the flan. Place a flat plate over the top and flip to invert. Arrange over peaches and scatter with pistachios.