Portuguese Tea Flan

Step 1

Preheat the heat to 325°F (160°C). Position a rack on the middle of the oven.

Step 2

Fill a kettle with water to bring to a boil. Combine the milk and tea leaves in a small saucepan and bring to the merest simmer over medium-low heat. Remove the pan from heat and allow the milk to steep until deeply infused, about 10 minutes.

Step 3

Strain the mixture into a bowl, discard the tea leaves, and let the milk cool until just warm.

Step 4

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, warm 1 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons water, without stirring, until the sugar melts and begins to color a bit. Resist the urge to stir; instead, swirl the pan occasionally. Continue cooking the mixture until it’s a dark maple-syrup brown and gives off a rich aroma of caramel, 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 5

Carefully pour the caramel into a 1 1/2-quart flan mold or metal baking dish, such as an 8-inch square cake pan, tilting the pan to coat the bottom and sides. (Avoid using a ceramic casserole or a glass baking dish. It will take much longer for the flan to cook, as these types of materials don’t don’t conduct heat as well as metal.)

Step 6

Stir the eggs, the yolk, and the remaining 1 cup of sugar with a wooden spoon in a medium bowl until the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Slowly tip in the infused milk, stirring all the while. Pour the mixture into flan mold and set the mold in a small roasting pan. Place the whole contraption on the oven rack and pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the mold.

Step 7

Bake the tea flan until set around edges but slightly jiggly in middle, 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes, depending on your oven and the size and depth of the mold. Remove the mold from water bath and place it on a work surface to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 3 hours.

Step 8

If the flan hasn’t released from the sides of the mold, run a sharp knife around the pan. To serve, place a deep plate on top and flip. Gingerly slip off the mold. Originally published April 18, 2009.