Banh Flan Ca Phe

Ingredients

• 150g caster sugar, for the caramel
• 60ml water
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 4 whole eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 400ml whole milk
• 200g sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 180ml strong Vietnamese drip coffee, chilled
• Crushed ice, to serve

Before you cook

• Set out six 150ml ramekins in a deep roasting tin
• Bring a full kettle to the boil for the water bath
• Heat the oven to 150C
• Brew the coffee ahead and chill it

Steps

1. Put the caster sugar and water in a small heavy pan over medium heat and swirl the pan without stirring.
2. Cook the syrup for six to eight minutes until it turns the colour of dark honey.
3. Take the pan off the heat immediately and stir in the lime juice, standing back as it spits.
4. Divide the caramel between the six ramekins and tilt each one so the base is covered, then leave them to set.
5. Warm the milk in a pan until it steams but does not boil.
6. Whisk the eggs, yolks, condensed milk, vanilla and salt together in a bowl until smooth but not foamy.
7. Pour the hot milk into the egg mixture in a slow stream, whisking the whole time.
8. Strain the custard through a fine sieve twice to remove any threads of cooked egg.
9. Skim off any bubbles sitting on the surface.
10. Pour the custard into the ramekins over the set caramel.
11. Pour boiling water into the roasting tin until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
12. Cover the tin loosely with foil and bake for forty to forty-five minutes, until the custards wobble as a single unit when nudged.
13. Lift the ramekins out of the water and cool them to room temperature, then chill them for at least four hours.
14. Run a thin knife around each custard and invert it onto a shallow bowl so the caramel runs down.
15. Add crushed ice alongside and pour a shot of cold coffee over each serving.