Parisian Passover Pineapple Flan
This quick passover-flan recipe came recently to Paris with North African Jews and has stayed. A quick dessert usually made with canned pineapple, it is even better with fresh. Because it can be prepared two days in advance, and left in the mold until serving, the flan is popular for Sabbath-observant Jews.
*Two 20-ounce cans of rings of unsweetened pineapple
Recipe information
Yield
8 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Stir 1 cup of the sugar with the juice of one of the lemons in a small saucepan. Heat the pan, stirring constantly, until the syrup begins to bubble. Stop stirring, and allow the pan to sit over the flame until the syrup begins to turn golden at the edges. Remove from the heat. Brush down any sugar crystals with a brush dipped in cold water. Occasionally rotate the pan to mix the syrup without stirring it. Continue doing this until the syrup is evenly golden.
Step 2
Carefully pour the resulting caramel into an ungreased 10-inch flan mold or round cake pan, making sure you swirl the caramel up the sides of the pan.
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and put fifteen pineapple slices in the food processor. Pulse until chunky but not puréed. Set aside in a bowl.
Step 4
Mix 1/2 cup of sugar and the pineapple juice in a saucepan and simmer slowly for a few minutes to dissolve the sugar. Then pour into the bowl with the chopped pineapple. Taste, and add 1/4 cup more sugar if needed. Let cool slightly, and whisk in the eggs, remaining lemon juice, and potato starch.
Step 5
Pour the pineapple mixture into the flan mold, and set the mold in a bain-marie, a larger pan filled with hot water to come about halfway up the side of the mold. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, cool, and refrigerate at least a couple of hours. Before serving, run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan. Cover with a plate, and carefully flip over to release.
