Published June 3rd, 2015
Refreshing Lime Flan Paired with Melon Puree
By Susie Iventosch
Lime Flan with Melon Puree, Lime Curd and Fresh Fruit Photo Susie Iventosch
Tuscan melons are my favorite kind of melon, and usually I've only found good ripe ones during the summer months at farmers' markets. But Trader Joe's had an entire crate devoted to these beautifully ripe melons the other day. I picked up two of them, and began working backward to come up with a dessert recipe that would be delicious, light and pretty on the plate. Because lime goes so well with both melon and papaya, the idea of lime flan and lime curd seemed like a great pairing with the melon. The lime flavor in the flan is very subtle, but the lime curd is more concentrated and adds the extra lime punch!
If you can't find Tuscan melons, just use your favorite melon, or whatever you find in season, and it will be just as tasty, I'm sure!
(Six Servings)

Lime Flan
1 1/2 cups sugar, separated
2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
dash of sea salt
1 teaspoon lime zest
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Spray the bottoms and sides of six ramekins with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 F.

Place 1 cup of the sugar in a sauce pot. Over medium heat, melt sugar and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown and beginning to candy. Remove from heat, and immediately spoon into the bottom of six ramekins. Swirl ramekins to try to cover the bottom with the caramelized sugar. This will harden on the bottom of the ramekin. (Don't worry, it becomes syrupy again when baking the flan.)

Place ramekins in a baking dish and fill baking dish with water halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

In a bowl, beat eggs and egg yolks together. Set aside.

In a separate pot, heat milk, sugar, salt, vanilla and lime zest. Heat over medium-high until scalding and just beginning to boil.

Slowly pour hot milk mixture into eggs, whisking until well integrated. Stir in lime juice. Pour custard over the candied sugar in the ramekins.

Bake for approximately 40 to 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted at the edge of the dish easily separates custard from the ramekin. Remove from water bath and cool completely. Once cooled, refrigerate flans for several hours or overnight.

Lime Curd
2 eggs
6 tablespoons lime juice
6 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon lime zest

Place all ingredients into a saucepan and whisk together well. Cook over medium-high heat, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, approximately 5 minutes. Stir all the while to prevent lumps from occurring. Remove from heat and transfer into a bowl. Place plastic wrap directly onto the curd and cool completely. Refrigerate to store.

Melon Puree
1 Tuscan melon (or your favorite melon is fine)

Cut approximately 1 cup of ripe Tuscan melon from rind. Place in food processor and puree until smooth. Set aside.

Garnish
Melon slices
Papaya slices
Raspberries
Thinly sliced lime

DIRECTIONS

When ready to serve, loosen flan from edges of ramekins and invert onto serving plates, scraping the browned sugar sauce over the flan. Spoon lime curd over the top and garnish with a twisted lime slice. Spoon melon puree onto plate and garnish plate with raspberries and sliced fruit.




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