Recipe: Easter Cheese Flan
This comforting Italian cheese flan makes a great appetizer or party food, and they look great with a Parmesan Cheese wafer.
Cooking Time: 45 minutes. Difficulty: Low. Requires: flan moulds.
Cooking Time: 45 minutes. Difficulty: Low. Requires: flan moulds.
Italian Parmigiano Reggiano Easter Flan
Ingredients (for 4 servings)
- 85gm grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 good free-range eggs
- salt and pepper to taste
- nutmeg to taste
- butter to taste
- balsamic glaze to garnish
Preparation
- Put the cream into a saucepan. Dissolve the cornstarch in 1 tbsp water and add it to the cream, stirring carefully. Add a little salt, freshly ground pepper and a touch of nutmeg. Place the saucepan on the stove and bring to a boil.
- In the meantime, whisk the eggs together with the grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Once the cream has reached a boil, remove it from heat and add a little bit of the beaten eggs. Stir quickly to bring the eggs up to temperature. Slowly add the remaining cream, stirring carefully.
- When the mixture is ready, grease the flan molds with butter or nonstick spray. Then spoon the flan mixture into the molds, leaving ½ inch of space at the top.
- Place the molds in a high-sided baking dish that can be used as a bain marie: add cold water - to about 1/2 way up the flan moulds - being careful not to let the flans get wet - and bake in a 150° C oven for 20 minutes.
- While the flan is cooking, prepare the crispy Parmigiano Reggiano wafers.
- Place a tablespoon of grated Parmigiano Reggiano on a sheet of parchment paper and flatten, giving it the shape of a circle: put in the microwave for 1 minute. (The cooking time will depend on the setting of the microwave, however the cheese should melt completely.)
- Then remove the cheese crisp from the parchment paper, being careful not to burn yourself with the cheese because it is very hot. Wait a few moments, then shape the wafer as you like. Try pinching it in the center to make a flower.
- When the flans are done cooking, let them cool for 5 minutes, or until firm.
- Remove them from the molds and plate them: serve with a couple dashes of balsamic glaze and a Parmigiano Reggiano wafer.