Flan with Cherry-Currant Coulis

To prepare the coulis, in a saucepan, stir together the sugar, jam, 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./120 ml) of the water, the lemon juice and sea salt. Add the pitted and halved cherries. Set the pan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture comes to a gentle boil, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) water and the cornstarch. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the pan and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the coulis is thickened and the texture of syrup, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

To prepare the flan, preheat an oven to 325°F (165°C). Line a medium baking dish with a small kitchen towel.

Pour 6 Tbs. of the coulis into the bottom of a 9-by-5-inch (23-by-13-cm) loaf pan. Tilt the pan to spread the syrup evenly along the bottom of the pan.

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk until a few bubbles appear along the edges of the pan. Remove from the heat.

In a bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla and kosher salt. While whisking constantly, slowly pour in the hot milk. Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher, then pour the custard into the loaf pan. Place the pan in the towel-lined baking dish and pour hot water into the dish to reach halfway up the sides of the loaf pan.

Bake until the center of the custard is set when the loaf pan is gently shaken, about 50 minutes. Carefully transfer the baking dish, with the loaf pan still in the water bath, to a wire rack. As soon as the loaf pan is cool enough to handle, remove it from the water bath. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 4 hours. Transfer the remaining coulis to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve; bring to room temperature before serving.

To unmold, run a thin, sharp knife around the edges of the loaf pan. Invert a dessert plate on top of the pan. Invert the plate and pan together, then lift off the pan. The coulis will form a sauce around the flan. Garnish with currants and the unpitted halved and whole cherries. Serve with the remaining coulis, if desired. Serves 6.

Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen