Caramel and Pear Flan Recipe

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Brush 6 (1/2 cups) ramekins with the melted butter and set aside.
3. FOR THE FLAN:.
4. Whisk together the eggs plus the two egg yolks.
5. While whisking add the sugar, slowly until dissolved.
6. Add rum extract, heavy cream, milk and salt. Continue to whisk.
7. Strain mixture and transfer to large bowl, to strain out air bubbles.
8. FOR THE CARAMEL:.
9. Put sugar and water into small sauce pan. Boil and reduce until a nice amber color or to 'hard crack' stage on your candy thermometer.
10. ** Not to worry. After the flan is baked, cooled and inverted onto plate, the caramel is no longer hard, but just right.**.
11. ASSEMBLY AND BAKING.
12. Into buttered ramekins, pour 2 Tbsp of the hot caramel mixture and rotate to coat the bottom.
13. Place 2-3 pear slices on top of caramel.
14. Fill each ramekin with the flan mixture, SLOWLY to avoid air bubbles, until 2/3 full.
15. Place filled ramekins into shallow baking pan and then fill pan with boiling water.
16. **the water bath will allow flan to cook evenly**.
17. Bake for 40 minutes.
18. Remove from oven and allow flans to cool in original water bath.
19. Once cooled, flans can be removed from water, covered and refrigerated overnight if needed.
20. Before serving, place ramekins in a shallow pan of warm water to loosen the custard.
21. Run a knife around the inside edge of ramekin, to further loosen. Place a plate on top of ramekin and flip onto plate to serve.
22. VOILA! You have your Caramel and Pear Flan.