Coconutty Coconut Flan (Flan de Coco)

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees - F.

Step 2: In a heavy saucepan, melt 1 cup sugar over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it is amber in color and a smooth liquid. Immediately remove from heat and pour into the bottom of heated 9-inch glass pie plate, a 2-quart casserole, or a heavy cake mold.

Tip: to heat the pie plate or if using other cooking vessel, pour hot or boiling water into it a let it stand for a minute or two, then drain and dry completely before adding the sugar syrup.

Step 3: Tilt the dish to cover the bottom of the pan completely with the sugar syrup.

Step 4: Sprinkle with shredded coconut evenly over the sugar syrup. Set aside.

Step 5: In a heavy saucepan, bring the milk, coconut milk, and salt to a boil over medium heat and remove from heat immediately.

Step 6: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, egg yolks, remaining sugar, vanilla, and coconut extracts until pale yellow in color.

Step 7: While the beater is running on high, slowly add 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture and beat until eggs are tempered. Slowly add the remaining hot milk and continue beating for 30 seconds.

Step 8: Pour the mixture over the syrup and coconut and place the dish in a shallow roasting pan.

Step 9: Fill the pan 3/4 full with warm water, or halfway up the flan dish. Place in oven and bake for 1 hour.

Step 10: Remove from oven and carefully remove flan dish from hot water.

Step 11: While the flan is still warm, run a knife around the edge to loosen it from the sides of the dish if necessary.

Step 12: To remove flan, place a plate on top of the dish and invert the flan onto the plate. Make sure the plate is large enough to hold the flan and has enough of a well to hold the syrup.

Step 13: Flan can be served warm or chilled. It can be prepared 2 days in advance and kept covered and refrigerated.