Flan with Caramelized Apples

Ingredients:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 medium-sized apples cored and sliced
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 4 eggs
• 1 can condensed milk
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 6-8 Speculoos cookies
• Whipped cream (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. In a saucepan, combine granulated sugar and water over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves, and allow it to cook until the mixture becomes amber in color, around 10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, and pour into 4 individual ramekins, making sure to coat the bottom and sides. Be careful as the mixture is extremely hot, use a pair of gloves to handle the ramekins. Allow it to cool slightly.
4. In a large skillet, melt 1 tsp of butter over medium heat. Add sliced apples, cinnamon, and cook until soft and caramelized, stirring occasionally, around 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, and let them cool.
5. In a blender, combine eggs, condensed milk, evaporated milk, and Speculoos cookies. Mix until smooth and well combined.
6. Pour the mixture over the cooled caramel in the ramekins, dividing it equally. Add some of the caramelized apples into each ramekin, placing them on top of the custard mixture.
7. Cover each ramekin with aluminum foil, and place them in a deep baking tray. Fill the baking tray with hot water until halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
8. Bake for around 50-60 minutes until the custard is set and a toothpick inserted into the center of the custard comes out clean.
9. Remove from the oven, and let them cool for 10 minutes. Then run a butter knife around the edges of ramekins to loosen them from the sides.
10. Place a plate upside down on top of each ramekin. Quickly and carefully flip the ramekin onto the plate, allowing the flan to slide out. The caramel sauce will coat the top of the flan.
11. Serve warm or chilled with a dollop of whipped cream (optional) and enjoy!

Verdict:

This Flan with Caramelized Apples is the perfect dessert to impress your guests. The sweet and slightly spicy Speculoos cookies perfectly complement the apples’ caramelized flavors, while the flan’s creamy texture will melt in your mouth with every bite. The caramel sauce adds just the right level of sweetness to tie everything together.

Serving Suggestions:

This dessert is perfect to serve after a delicious dinner. You can also serve it alongside a cup of coffee or tea for an afternoon snack. Adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of this flan can also take this dessert to the next level.