Flan

• ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4¼ cups whole milk
• 2 (1-inch) strips lemon peel
• ½ cinnamon stick
• 5 large eggs, beaten
• Fresh mint leaf (optional)

Preheat the oven to 390°F. Bring a kettle of water to a boil for the water bath and keep it hot.

To make caramel, have a 2-quart porcelain flan mold at the ready. Combine ¼ cup
of the sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a heavy-bottomed pot or skillet over low heat. Swirl the pan over the heat until the mixture turns a rich golden brown, about 10 minutes; don’t stir. Pour the caramel into the porcelain mold and immediately swirl it so the caramel evenly coats the bottom and reaches about ⅛ inch up the sides of the mold. Let it sit at room temperature until it hardens.

To make the pudding, combine the milk, the remaining ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, the lemon peel, and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then immediately remove from the heat; pour into a large bowl and set aside to cool, about 15 minutes.

Make sure the milk mixture is barely warm before proceeding with the recipe. Remove the lemon peel and cinnamon stick; discard. Add the beaten eggs to the milk mixture and whisk immediately. Pour the custard base into the flan mold.

To create the water bath, place the flan mold in the center of a large roasting pan. Carefully pour hot—but not boiling—water from the kettle into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the side of the mold. Place the pan in the oven and bake for
50 minutes to 1 hour, until the custard is set and jiggles slightly when gently shaken.

Remove the mold from the water bath and set aside to cool, about 30 minutes. The flan can be made up to 1 day ahead of time; keep covered in the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before serving. When ready to serve, run a thin paring knife around the outside edge of the flan. Flip the mold onto a serving dish and shake lightly until the flan is released. Garnish with the mint leaf, if desired.