Dessert

Espresso impossible flan

Name: Coffee flan recipe
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 200g dulce de leche; 1 2/3 cups (250g) plain flour; 2 1/2 tbs Dutch cocoa powder; 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp bicarb soda; 120g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease; 100g brown sugar or panela; 100g caster sugar; 2 eggs; 70g hazelnut meal; 150ml buttermilk; 100.00ml espresso; Chopped roasted hazelnuts, to serve; 395ml can sweetened condensed milk; 250g cream cheese, at room temperature; 1 cup (250ml) milk; 3 eggs; 50ml coffee liqueur

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by Emma Knowles

May 10, 2022

The cake batter starts on the base, but as it cooks, the custard and cake switch places - hence the name 'impossible flan'!

200g dulce de leche
1 2/3 cups (250g) plain flour
2 1/2 tbs Dutch cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
120g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease
100g brown sugar or panela
100g caster sugar
2 eggs
70g hazelnut meal
150ml buttermilk
50ml espresso
Chopped roasted hazelnuts, to serve

Coffee Custard

395ml can sweetened condensed milk
250g cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup (250ml) milk
3 eggs
50ml coffee liqueur
50ml espresso

Method

1.

Preheat oven to 160°C fan-forced. Grease a 27cm bundt pan with butter, then brush the pan with half of the dulce de leche.
2.

Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and bicarb into a bowl. Place butter, sugars and a pinch of salt flakes in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
3.

Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating to just combine after each addition. Add flour mixture and hazelnut meal and mix to just combine, then add buttermilk and coffee and beat until smooth. Spoon into prepared pan and smooth the top.
4.

For the coffee custard, place ingredients in a blender and whiz until sooth. Pour over the back of a spoon over the cake batter. Cover the top with a layer of baking paper and a layer of foil.
5.

Place bundt pan in a roasting dish in the oven, fill roasting dish with 3cm of boiling water, and bake, rotating the tray once, for 1 hour 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake batter comes out clean.
6.

Remove from the water bath, uncover and stand for 1 hour until cool.
7.

Run a small sharp knife around the edge of the bundt pan to loosen the cake. Place a plate on top, then invert the place and pan. Carefully remove the pan and set flan aside to cool to room temperature.
8.

Stir remaining dulce de leche and 1 tbs water in a bowl. Pour over cake and scatter with roasted hazelnuts to serve.