#FlanFriday: Mother’s Day Edition. A Mango & Fleur de Geisha Green Tea Infusion

Well hello there, friends! This is flan talking. It’s been a minute, I know. My maker Bren has had me all suppressed, neglected, and acting quite disinterested as of late. If I had to guess, I think she’s been entertaining other desserts, having affairs with other decadence that excites her. But she knows the deal. She knows I’m her faithful pie that yields her consistent results and requests. I mean, she does charge a pretty penny for one of me. A slice of me is even more. Imagine that. I’ve been trying to nudge her here and  there, reminding my owner that she has a responsibility to share goodness with you. To entice you. To make you salivate. She’s promised to make a new flan every Friday, or something like that. Frankly speaking, I think the idea is a little over the top, but hey! It’s her thing. She calls it #FlanFriday, I think. Yeah, something like that. I’ve seen it. I know about it. But since she’s pretty much put my comadres and me aside for what seems to be an eternity, as we didn’t matter (let’s not even talk about the fact this blog is called FLANboyant Eats. That girl there. She needs to pull it together. I can spoil her good eggs, you know! Ahhhh, but I’m so happy to be back. Really, I am. Something must have inspired her. Something. 

Yeah, something like that. I know those were someone’s thoughts. Someone whom so faithfully reads my blog, especially on Fridays, looking for a new flan recipe. I have a great reason tho, for the absence of not only #FlanFriday, but also of posting new recipes. It’s called Life. It’s just been that month! All kinds of things have been getting in my way of cooking for the blog and sharing that goodness I like to share with you.

But, I have been inspired! Oh and it’s a beautiful thing when you can find inspiration in simple things.

My mother’s birthday is tomorrow and in preparation for a weekend full of wild Cubanisms, including eating out, eating in, dancing, domino smack downs, cafécito tastings (something I’m always in charge of), and rounded solid good time, I was tasked, among many other things, with making flan. Just a plain one. I took it upon myself to forgo any requests and do something that came to me earlier in the week.

I’ll share here for the first time that I’ve launched a digital magazine titled B! Inspired. Long, uncomplicated story short, I share small doses of morning inspiration on my Facebook Page. They range from love to hustling, to forgiveness and compassion, to trying harder in our efforts and a few things in between. Those posts get such incredible response. And since my work is all about curating the all around fabulous lifestyle, it made perfect sense I start a magazine where I share a bit of everything I love and do: travel, music, food, fashion, love, family, spirituality, etc… I was inspired to inspire you!

Here’s the cover!

I enjoyed a soft launch earlier this week. Timing was so perfect because I was able to make the theme The Mother Issue where I honor her and highlight and feature a handful of  madres and the beautiful elements that make them our best gift of all. In putting the issue together, I had Mami  in mind the entire time. She occupied my thoughts as I designed and settled on what to add. And as it would go, when I knew it was time to make a flan for today, I thought about what she’d like.

A plain flan for her birthday is simply not going to cut it. I perused her kitchen as I normally do and considered everything she likes most. Mangos were on the counter and it hit me — hands down her favorite fruit. And then I glanced over at my favorite new tea brand, Palais des Thés, an exquisite French house, and thought it’d be perfect to infuse their sexy green Fleur de Geisha tea with fresh squeezed mango juice. I tweaked and tweaked it until I got it right. I played around with the intensity of the tea and the consistency of the mango until I got it right. I also played around with different sugars.

This is what I came up with. And it is smashingly divine. Only she hasn’t had it yet. I made a super small one for me to taste and approve and then this larger one for slicing tomorrow!

When we cut it, I’ll photograph it and share another picture. So you have to come back to see the creamy inside!

For now, I’d love for you to enjoy this blend of cherry blossom delight and sweet mango all whisked up into a creamy, delectable and beautiful custard.

I think she’ll love it.

And if she doesn’t…. well, the plain one will be hidden away for pulling out just in case. But I doubt it. She trusts me!

HAPPY #FLANFRIDAY and blessed Mother’s Day to you all of you amazing Mamis!

Eat well, love unapologetically, pray with true intention, and take care of yourself.

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Enjoy

Mango & Fleur de Geisha Green Tea & Infusion Flan

Ingredients:

• 6 Tbsp. sugar
• 4 whole eggs, whisked
• 1- 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• 14. oz 2% milk
• 3/4 cup mango juice (purée or fresh squeezed from mango)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp. loose leaf tea green tea, cherry blossom or fruity
• 1/4 cup mango, cubed
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Method:

In medium sauce pan, add mango juice, water, and tea. Bring to boil. Reduce heat immediatley and simmer for 5 minutes allowing tea to steep. Strain into bowl assuring leaves don’t transfer into bowl. Chill for 20 minutes.

Whisk eggs in a medium sized bowl. Add and combine sweetened condensed and regular milk, mango and cherry blossom tea infusion, and vanilla extract. Set aside.

Add sugar to the aluminum flan mold and bring to medium-high heat. Allow all of the sugar to melt down until golden caramel, stirring constantly. Do not allow sugar to burn. When sugar is fully dissolved into caramel, carefully coat the bottom and sides of the flan mold using hand towels to hold the mold. Use a brush if you are not experienced in handling extremely hot caramel. Let sit for two minutes until sugar sets. Pour flan mixture into pan using a medium mesh hand strainer.

Baking the Flan

If you have a traditional 10″ flan pan, cover entirely with aluminum foil. If using a more updated version, cover lid and shut tight with latches. Add two cups of water to a large saucepan and gently place flan pan into the baño de Maria. Bring to boil for 45-60 minutes or until custard is fully cooked, but not too firm. Once the flan is fully cooked, immediately low heat and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove flan pan from the baño de Maria and discard excess water from saucepan.

Do not remove flan from pan. Refrigerate for 7-9 hours or overnight. To serve, loosen the sides of the flan all the way around using a butter knife. Take a large plate, place upside down on top of flan and flip!  Garnish with cubed mango as desired. Sprinkle with fruity loose leaf  green tea if desired.

Serves up to 8.