A 1554 Dark Ale, Coffee and Cocoa Flan With Orange Zest

This after dinner dessert uses New Belgium's 1554 dark ale. After “taste testing” the brew, I knew it's chocolate undertones would be a perfect base for a dark, rich caramel over a traditional Spanish flan.  To compliment its flavors I infused it with coffee, cocoa, and a hint of orange zest.  To sweeten it up, real maple syrup.

To brighten up the traditional flan, I also added orange zest to the custard giving it subtle undertones.

This flan would pair beautifully with a Spanish moscatel, dark roasted coffee or even a 1554 Enlightened Black Ale from New Belgium.

Ingredients:

For the Caramel

    2 bottles of 1554 Enlightened Black Ale from New Belgium
    3 tbls ground coffee
    2 tbls unsweetened cocoa
    zest of 1 orange
    1/2 cup real maple syrup

For the Custard

    3 cups whole fresh milk
    2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    2 farm fresh eggs
    6 farm fresh egg yolks
    1/2 cup real maple syrup
    zest of one orange

Step 1: Make the Caramel

Caramel:

1. In a deep pan, bring the beer, ground coffee, cocoa, maple syrup and orange zest to a boil.

2. Reduce the heat and simmer over medium-low, stirring often to prevent from burning.  You want to reduce the mixture by about half until you are left with a thick syrup that coats the back of a spoon.  Depending on your heat, this can take anywhere from 30-60 minutes.

3. Once the syrup has reduced, strain through a cheesecloth.  This will leave you with a smooth syrup void of any coffee grains or orange zest.  Do this right away as the mixture will thicken as it cools.

4. Once you have strained the syrup, add enough to the bottom of your flan molds to coat the bottom.

Step 2: Make the Traditional Spanish Custard

Custard:

1. Preheat the oven to 300 F.

2. In a ban bring the milk and vanilla extract just to a boil.  Do not scorch the milk.

3. While the milk is coming to a boil, In a bowl, beat the eggs, egg yolks and maple syrup.

4. Once the milk has come to a boil, turn off the heat, and gradually stir in the hot milk to the egg mixture.

5. Pour into the flan molds.

6. Put the individual molds into a baking dish or roasting pan and pour in enough hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the molds.

7. Bake for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.

8. Remove the individual molds from the baking dish or roasting pan and let cool.

9. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

10. Turn onto a dish and serve.