Blackberry Flan (known as "Black Flan" for the 2011 Oscar Party)

I have a love-hate relationship with flan.  It never sounds good.  It is not something I would order after dinner.  And there is something about it that just looks... odd.  But every time I do venture out and give it a shot I'm always surprised just how tasty it is.  I mean off-the-charts-good.  I sit there with a look of confusion as to why I don't eat flan every day.  I should have by this point of my life realized that, despite all of my thoughts to the contrary, I like flan.

I think many other people have a similar reaction.  Hesitation at first, followed by bewilderment, and finished with cravings for more.  The problem is getting people to try the first bite.  Which can by quite an obstacle.  This is why serving flan at a party is a bold move, especially if you are straying from the deliciously traditional caramel custard. 

Black Swan section from the 100 Mile Hallway Mural

But when this years Oscar nominees were announced, I had a sinking feeling once I realized I had to do it: I had to make "Black Flan".  Not only was I going to try making a dish I wasn't sure I even liked, I was going to be making a dish I had never made before, and with a twist that could ruin the whole thing...  Gulp.  But that feeling seemed to fit right in line with the scary, uneasy, psychedelic nature of Natalie Portman's Oscar winning portrayal in Black Swan.  And much like the dancer in Black Swan, the dish had to straddle both traditional beauty and technique, with avant-garde danger and risk.  Ok, that's a bit dramatic, adding blackberries to custard ain't exactly a Warhol painting, but just go with the metaphor here will ya?

So after some practice and trying out a couple different recipes it came down to 3 basic steps:

1. Making Blackberry Simple Syrup
2. Making the Flan Custard
3. Baking and Serving

Really that's it.  There are a few steps in between, and a couple little tweaks for fun, but that is just about it.  So let's get going...



Traditional flan has that beautiful, golden caramel crown that seductively drips down the sides.  For the Black Flan we are going to use blackberry syrup instead of caramel sauce.  You need 3 ingredients:

1 C Water
1 C Sugar
1/2 C Blackberries

1. Put Water in pot on medium-high heat
2. Add Sugar, bring to boil, and stir until dissolved
3. Lower heat to medium-low, add Blackberries let cook down, stirring occasionally (10-15 mins)
4. Set aside till needed

For the flan there are hundreds of different recipes out there, and I was experimenting a little bit here so I looked for the easiest most basic technique I could find.  After searching around a bit, and adding my own little changes, here is what I came up with:

6 eggs
1 14 oz. Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 13 oz. Can Evaporated Milk
1/2 C Sugar
1/4 tsp Blackberry Extract
1/4 tsp Black or Purple food coloring (optional, but this is "Black Flan" after all)

1. Preheat oven at 325 Degrees F
2. Beat eggs (this works well in a blender)
3. Add Condensed and Evaporated Milk, blend
4. Add Sugar, Extract, any food coloring you like, blend till smooth
5. Set aside till needed

Just a couple mechanical steps left and you are done...

1. Cover the bottom of a glass pie pan with the Blackberry Syrup, about 1/4 inch deep should do
2. Pour over the custard mix, gently, you want the syrup and custard layered in distinct levels
3. Put the pie pan in a larger roasting pan, and pour water in the larger pan till it comes about half way up the side of the pie pan.*  Warmer water will not need as much time getting up to heat, thus shortening cooking time.
4. Place roasting pan in preheated oven.
5. Cook for 45 minutes to an hour.  When a knife or toothpick comes out of the middle clean it is done.
6. Take out of oven and let cool
7. Invert serving dish (make sure it has edges high enough to keep the syrup from dripping over the edge) on top of the pie pan.  Now brace yourself...  You need to do this quick, but don't rush.  You need to be firm, and also gentle.  Put one hand under the pie pan, and put one hand on top of the serving dish, now... flip them.  It worked my first time, but it was pretty nerve wracking, and I don't really know what to do if it doesn't work. 
8. Drizzle a little more of your syrup over the top and around the flan if you have any left (it's also awesome on pancakes or waffles if you have any left over).  Maybe garnish with some fresh blackberries and a sprig or two of mint leaves.  Serve.

There it is... done.  Your guests will be shouting "Bravo" and throwing flowers at your feet.  Curtain close.  This was the dish I was probably most nervous about making for the Oscar Party, but it ended up being the dish I was most proud of.  I went out on a limb and tried something completely out of my comfort zone, and ended up with real masterpiece. 

*You are creating a "Water Bath".  You don't want the water to get into your dish, but this step ensures gentle even cooking.  It is a technique often used in making cheesecakes, custards, and puddings.

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