Berry Chocolate Flan

I had my Relief Society (women's organization of my church) Recipe club last night.  Our theme for March was "Coming to Terms with Cooking"  We had to make something with a cooking term or ingredient that we weren't familiar with and share it.   My sister recently gave me a chocolate recipe book and I have been dying to try something from it.  Almost every recipe calls for "superfine" sugar.  What is superfine sugar?  I didn't know, so that was my term.  Superfine sugar is granulated sugar is finely pulverized so that it dissolves much more quickly than regular granulated sugar. Bartenders use it for its dissolving properties, and it is often called for in light or uncooked desserts such as meringues, mousses, and soufflés.  It comes in a little box at the grocery store if you are lucky.   I wasn't.  So, I made my own by running granulated sugar in my food processor until it was a little powdery.

I made a berry chocolate pudding that was delicious for mature taste buds that like a dark chocolate.  All of the women last night RAVED about it.   I had a little extra that I made in little custard dishes for the boys so that they could try it too.  Their taste buds weren't mature enough and they hated it.  So, this recipe is great for adults, but it isn't very kid friendly.  But doesn't it just look scrumptious?  

Berry Chocolate Flan

Pie Crust:

1c flour

¼ c unsweetened cocoa

½ c confectioner’s sugar

Pinch of salt

6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 egg yolk

Filling:

1 ¼ c heavy cream

2/3 c blackberry or raspberry jelly

8 oz semisweet chocolate chips

2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Sauce:

1 lb 6 oz berries (blackberries, raspberries, strawberries in any combo)

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp superfine sugar

2 tbsp berry syrup

Sift the flour, cocoa, sugar and salt into a mixing bowl. Place the butter and egg yolk in a center and mix into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter.  Knead lightly and form into a ball.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hr.

Preheat oven to 350. Roll out dough on lightly floured counter. Place in a 12x4in flan pan (or similar sized pan). Prick with a fork. Bake 15 minutes.  Set aside to cool

To make the filling, place the cream and jelly in a saucepan and bring to a boil over low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate. Then stir in the butter until melted and smooth. Pour mixture into pie shell and set aside to cool.

 Place about 6oz of the berries onto the cooled chocolate filling. 

Then put the remaining berries, lemon juice and superfine sugar in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the berry syrup.   Drizzle over the top of the berries and filling.

Serve the flan with the remaining sauce on the side.