Imperial Coconut Flan - milk

Method

• Preheat the oven to 450F (230C).
• Place the sugar and milk in a heavy saucepan and melt the sugar over low heat, then raise the heat and boil the mixture briskly.
• Take care that it does not boil over.
• As soon as the mixture begins to thicken, stir it so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
• After about 30 minutes it should be the consistency of thin condensed milk and has been reduced to 1 cup.
• See Note.
• Pierce holes through two of the "eyes" of the coconut and drain the water from it.
• Set the water aside.
• Put the whole coconut into the oven for about 8 minutes.
• Crack it open; the flesh should come away quite easily from the shell.
• Pare the brown skin from the coconut flesh with a potato peeler.
• Grate the coconut finely.
• You will need 2 1/4 cups, loosely packed, for the flan.
• Add the grated coconut to the reserved coconut water and boil it for about 5 minutes, stirring it constantly.
• Add the "condensed" milk and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
• Set the mixture aside to cool.
• Beat the egg yolks together until they are creamy and stir them well into the coconut mixture.
• Beat the egg whites until they are frothy, add the salt and continue beating until they are stiff.
• Fold them into the mixture.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared mold.
• Cover the mold with a well-greased lid and place into a water bath.
• Cook the flan on the lowest shelf of the oven for about 1 1/2 hours, then test to see if it is done.
• When it is done, set it aside to cool.
• Makes 6 servings.
• NOTES: Of course, you can substitute1 cup of lightly thinned canned, sweetened condensed milk for the milk and sugar and substitute pre-grated but unsweetened coconut.
• Use milk instead of coconut water; the flavor will just not be quite as good.
• Do not think you have done something wrong when you see that the coconut and custard have separated.
• That is how it is meant to be.
• The caramel will nearly all have been absorbed by the spongy layer of coconut.
• If you are using fresh coconut there will almost certainly be some left over.
• It will keep perfectly well if frozen.
• To test to see if the flan is cooked through, insert the blade of a knife or a skewer well into the flan.
• The knife should come out clean.
• Take care not to pierce the flan at the bottom or it will spoil the appearance of the top when it is unmolded.