Servings
Font
Back
0 from 12 votes

Portuguese Tea Flan

Portuguese flan, or pudim, is a riff on a classic dessert. For this version, milk is infused with smoky, strong flavored tea, such as Lapsang souchong, and is then added to eggs and sugar to make an unusual, elegant dessert.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time
4 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 290 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Portuguese

Ingredients

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons strong-flavored tea leaves such as Lapsang souchong
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 6 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 large egg yolk at room temperature

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Position a rack on the middle of the oven.
  2. Fill a kettle with water to bring to a boil. Combine the milk and tea leaves in a small saucepan and bring to the merest simmer over medium-low heat. Remove the pan from heat and allow the milk to steep until deeply infused, about 10 minutes. 
  3. Strain the mixture into a bowl, discard the tea leaves, and let the milk cool until just warm.
  4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, warm 1 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons water, without stirring, until the sugar melts and begins to color a bit. Resist the urge to stir; instead, swirl the pan occasionally. Continue cooking the mixture until it's a dark maple-syrup brown and gives off a rich aroma of caramel, 10 to 15 minutes.
  5. Carefully pour the caramel into a 1 1/2-quart flan mold or metal baking dish, such as an 8-inch square cake pan, tilting the pan to coat the bottom and sides. (Avoid using a ceramic casserole or a glass baking dish. It will take much longer for the flan to cook, as these types of materials don't don't conduct heat as well as metal.)
  6. Stir the eggs, the yolk, and the remaining 1 cup of sugar with a wooden spoon in a medium bowl until the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Slowly tip in the infused milk, stirring all the while. Pour the mixture into flan mold and set the mold in a small roasting pan. Place the whole contraption on the oven rack and pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the mold.
  7. Bake the tea flan until set around edges but slightly jiggly in middle, 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes, depending on your oven and the size and depth of the mold. Remove the mold from water bath and place it on a work surface to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 3 hours.
  8. If the flan hasn't released from the sides of the mold, run a sharp knife around the pan. To serve, place a deep plate on top and flip. Gingerly slip off the mold. Originally published April 18, 2009.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1portion Calories 290kcal (15%) Carbohydrates 53g (18%) Protein 7g (14%) Fat 6g (9%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Monounsaturated Fat 2g Trans Fat 0.01g Cholesterol 170mg (57%) Sodium 78mg (3%) Sugar 53g (106%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 290

% Daily Value*

Serving 1portion
Calories 290kcal 15%
Carbohydrates 53g 18%
Protein 7g 14%
Fat 6g 9%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Trans Fat 0.01g 1%
Cholesterol 170mg 57%
Sodium 78mg 3%
Sugar 53g 106%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.