Nom Nom: Celebrate National Coffee Day With Café Con Leche Flan

Today is National Coffee Day, a much-beloved holiday traditionally celebrated by setting a tea drinker on fire and engaging in a fevered dance ritual over the charred remains. Or it’s a day that coffee manufacturers hope you buy their product. One or the other. 

It’s no secret that coffee is often associated with Latinos - from Juan Valdez flying over Colombia on his magical coffee bean to Cuban men in guayaberas screaming over dominos and tiny shots of café cubano. And no wonder - coffee is a lot like us: It’s hot, thick and often bitter. Broma. We’re not all like that. Some of us are frigid, emaciated and… often bitter. 

Anyway. Flan de café con leche! Put this in your face on this most revered of holidays as you wait for Juan Valdez’s mustache to leave a present in your stocking tonight:

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 1/2 tablespoons instant coffee
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs

Preparation:

1. In a bowl, whisk cornstarch into milk until smooth.

2. Using a double boiler, place the milk mixture, heavy cream, instant coffee, and sugar into the top pot.

3. Stir the ingredients over medium heat until thick. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

4. In a bowl, beat the eggs well. Take 1 cup of milk mixture from the double boiler still over the heat.

5. Slowly add the hot mixture to the eggs, beating continuously.

6. Pour the egg mix into the double boiler and beat until thoroughly incorporated.

7. Cover and simmer for 2 minutes.

8. Remove from heat and pour into individual dessert cups.

9. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool for a couple hours in the refrigerator to reach a custard consistency.

Café con Leche Flan [About.com]