LEMON BASIL FLAN WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Boil a kettle of water. Once it boils, keep it hot (not boiling) until you are ready to use it. Preheat oven to 325°. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, melt together 1/4 c. sugar with the raspberry preserves, stirring constantly. When the mixture is completely liquid, add the lemon juice. Allow the sauce to bubble rapidly, stirring until it thickens to a syrupy consistency, 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add the cream, vanilla, and lemon zest. Stir gently and bring to a light simmer. As soon as the cream simmers, add the basil leaves and cook for another five minutes, or until the cream is lightly fragrant with the lemon and basil. Strain and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, 1/2 c. sugar, and salt until light yellow and thick. Slowly whisk the hot cream into the egg mixture, taking care to do this carefully so the eggs do not cook in the bowl. Once combined, strain the custard into a separate bowl. You may find that it is easiest to strain into a container that has a pour spout. Spoon the raspberry sauce evenly so that it coats the bottoms of 6 ramekins. Swirl the ramekins gently to coat a little up the sides. Pour the custard evenly into the ramekins. Set the flans inside a roasting pan or casserole dish, then pour the hot water from the kettle into the casserole until it is about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Put the casserole dish of flans on the middle rack of the oven and bake approximately 40 minutes, or until just set and still a little jiggly. Remove the casserole, allow the flan to cool in the water bath until you can handle it with your bare hands, then transfer the individual ramekins to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. To serve, run a small, non-serrated knife around the edge of each flan, put a plate upside-down on top of it, and flip over.