Banana Flan

Tim, a culinary student as well as one of our line cooks, made this lovely flan last week. He is especially interested in baking desserts, and his favorite flavor is banana. So when he wanted to bake this I said do it.

For the caramel:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

In a saute pan, dissolve the sugar in the water and bring it to the boil. Boil until the syrup becomes a rich amber color.

Pour the caramel into custard cups and swirl the caramel around the sides of the cup.

2 1/2 cups half and half
1/4 cup banana liqueur
1/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
3 egg yolks

Whisk all of the ingredients together and strain. Pour the strained custard into the prepared custard cups and bake in a bain marie in a preheated 325 degree oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the custard is set and an inserted knife comes out clean.

Chill for several hours. To unmold, run a thin knife around the edge of the cup and unmold the custard, be sure to let all the caramel run out over the top of the flan. Serve with fresh fruit, if desired. We made a compote of bananas, oranges, and strawberries.