Mini Kahlua Flan

I found this recipe from Emeril Lagasse and thought it looked amazing! What could be better than creamy flan and coffee liquer?! I was nervous to make my first homemade flan, but it was a lot easier than I thought. Also, I decided that my husband and I don't need an entire flan in the house (because we'd eat it up!), so I made individual flans using a muffin tin. Not only does this help with portion control, but you can share them with friends. Although flan has a bad reputation for not being diet friendly, I believe in enjoying everything in moderation.

And here's the good news: when divided into individual portions, each flan is only about 230 calories ~ I can live with that!


Mini Kahlua Flan
(adapted from Emeril Lagasse)

3/4 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
4 tablespoons coffee-flavored liqueur (recommended: Kahlua)
Cocoa powder, garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease 12 muffin tins with butter and set aside. In a small saucepan, cook the sugar over medium heat until it starts to melt. Lower the heat and cook until caramelized to a golden brown. If you need to stir, only use a wooden spoon. Cooking the sugar low and slow will make sure that it doesn't stay hard after baking. It will be a smooth caramel sauce when finished.

Pour into prepared muffin tins. (If you would like one large flan, simply use a metal flan mold or 9-inch cake pan.) Turn the dish and swirl to evenly coat the bottom. Let caramel cool and harden.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the condensed and evaporated milks and Kahlua and whisk well to blend. Pour into the prepared pan. Place the dish in a larger roasting pan and add hot water to come halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Bake until set and just firm in the center but still jiggles slightly 20-25 minutes. Watch carefully to make sure you do not overcook. Let cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours.

To serve, run a thin sharp knife around the rim of each flan. Place a platter or large plate on top of the flan and gently flip over so the plate is on the bottom. Lift away the mold. Garnish with powdered cocoa or chocolate shavings.