Chocolate Mint After Eight Flan Dessert
Latin American Custard Dessert with Mint Liquor and Chocolate Sauce
Apr 12, 2009
Mint and chocolate combine in this twist on the popular Latin American flan dessert. Its name comes from the similar flavor of the popular After Eight chocolate mint wafers. Flavored with mint liquor and topped with a drizzle of chocolate sauce, chocolate and mint lovers will not be able to say no to this deliciously refreshing flan.
Ingredients for Chocolate Mint Flan
- 100 g butter or margarine
- 100 g sugar
- 100 g flour
- 1 liter (4 cups) hot milk
- 75 ml mint liquor
- zest of one lemon (or lime)
- chocolate sauce (for garnish)
Preparation of Chocolate Mint Flan
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter or margarine and sugar over medium heat until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved. Add the flour slowly and a little at time, stirring constantly and breaking up any balls that may form. Add a little of the hot milk to dilute the mixture. Use a whisk if necessary.
- Once the ingredients in the flour mixture are well mixed, add the mint liquor and the rest of the hot milk. Add the lemon zest and cook over low heat until the mixture begins to boil. Cook a few minutes longer, stirring constantly, and let the mixture thicken until it holds it shape if a finger is run down the back of a wooden spoon dipped in the mixture.
- Once the mixture is thick enough, remove it from the heat. Remove the lemon zest and pour the mixture into six individual flan molds. Cool in the refrigerator for a minimum of three hours.
Serving Chocolate Mint Flan
To serve, place the flan molds in a small bowl filled with hot water. Do not submerge the entire mold, but do place it deep enough into the bowl to loosen the flan from the walls of the mold. Quickly invert the mold onto an individual plate. Drizzle chocolate sauce over the flan and serve.
Additional garnishes for chocolate mint After Eight flan are:
- sprigs of fresh mint
- chocolate shavings
- a drizzle of mint liquor
- mini chocolate chips
- lemon or lime zest
- mini white chocolate chips
- butter toffee bits
- crumbled chocolate wafer cookies, such as Oreos.
Chocolate mint flan is a bit easier to make than its vanilla cousin as there is no cooking over a double boiler involved. It is a welcome variation from regular crème caramel, which is popular throughout Europe and other countries, from Mexico to Vietnam. Because of its pale green tone, it would make a perfect dessert for a Saint Patrick Day meal or at the end of an Easter dinner. Mint flavoring can be substituted for the mint liquor if desired, although depending on the brand used more or less may be needed.
Serves: 6
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Cooling time: minimum 3 hours
