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.
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| 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:
- Making Blackberry Simple Syrup
- Making the Flan Custard
- 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...
