Pumpkin Flan with Meringue

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup water
• 6 large eggs
• 3 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (slightly less than two 15-ounce cans)
• 1 (15 ounce) can cream of coconut
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 cup sugar

Recipe

• 1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• 2 In a dry heavy saucepan, cook sugar over moderately low heat, stirring slowly with a fork (to help sugar melt evenly), until melted and pale golden.
• 3 Cook caramel, without stirring, swirling pan, until deep golden.
• 4 Pour caramel into a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish and tilt dish to coat bottom.
• 5 Cool caramel.
• 6 Melt butter and cool.
• 7 In a large bowl, whisk together flour and water until smooth and whisk in butter and remaining flan ingredients until smooth.
• 8 Pour custard into baking dish and put dish in a larger baking pan.
• 9 Add enough water to pan to reach halfway up side of dish and bake custard in middle of oven 1 hour, or until set.
• 10 Remove dish from pan and keep temperature at 350 degrees F.
• 11 Make the meringue: In a bowl, with an electric mixer beat whites until they just hold soft peaks.
• 12 Gradually, beat in sugar and beat meringue until it holds stiff, glossy peaks.
• 13 Spread meringue evenly over custard and bake in middle of oven (not in a water bath) until golden, about 5 minutes.
• 14 Cool dessert on a rack.
• 15 Chill dessert until cold, about 4 hours, and up to 1 day.
• 16 Cut dessert in squares.
• 17 (Recipe courtesy Gourmet Magazine).