Coconut flan with prune sauce

When I was a kid, I used to be very insecure… I struggled to accept my freckles, my ginger hair and I had a problem with my feet that required me to wear horrible orthopaedic boots for many years. I remember having a strong feeling of rejection when I was with other kids and even when visiting relatives.

But there are some people who are masters in making everyone around them feel loved and my auntie Preta was one of them. She used to speak quietly and in a tender way, she was sweet and she was constant… When you arrived in her house, you could be sure of 3 things: she would be smiling, she would have a coconut flan in her fridge and you wouldn’t leave her house without eating at least one slice. I remember waiting with great anticipation for the time that she would go to the kitchen and would come back with a big slice of coconut flan and in that moment I always felt welcome and loved…

This recipe is my tribute to my auntie Preta because, just like her, this dessert is sweet in the right measure, it pleases everyone and if you follow the recipe step-by-step, this coconut flan will constantly turn out the way you expect.

Level of difficulty

Easy

Course

Dessert |  Treat

Serves

8

Preparation time

15 minutes

Cooking time

15 minutes

Ingredients

For the coconut flan

• 500 ml of whole milk
• 1 can of condensed milk (397 g)
• 400 ml of coconut milk
• 70 g of desiccated coconut
• 50 g of caster sugar
• 60 g of corn starch

For the prune sauce

• 230 g of pitted prunes
• 100 ml of honey
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 500 ml of boiling water

Preparation

For the coconut flan

1. Dissolve the cornstarch in 100 ml of the milk and set aside.
2. Place all the other ingredients in a heavy-based, non-stick saucepan and heat to boil, stirring constantly with the help of a silicone or wooden spoon.
3. When the mixture starts boiling reduce the heat, add the cornstarch and continue stirring for 3 minutes, until the mixture becomes creamy, with a shiny consistency and starts to loosen from the bottom of the saucepan.
4. Pour the flan into a wet non-stick bundt tin.
5. When cold, cover the bundt tin with cling film and place it in the fridge letting it chill overnight or at least for four hours.
6. Remove the flan from the bundt tin, put it on a deep serving plate (bottom of the flan facing up) and pour over the prune sauce before serving.

For the prune sauce

1. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and heat them to boiling.
2. Once boiling, let it cook over medium heat for 12 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes.
3. Remove the cinnamon stick and let it chill before serving.