Queso de Coco or Coconut Flan

A yummy Ecuadorian dessert.

Syrup:

1/3 cup sugar
1 cup water
Pour the sugar in a small saucepan and melt at low temperature until it dissolves and gets a nice brown color. Check it often or it gets burned. Add 1 cup water and let it cook at medium temperature until the liquid has a syrupy consistency. It will be very hot. Pour it into a medium size baking dish and cover the bottom and sides.

Flan:

3-4 large beaten eggs
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
2 1/3 cups whole milk or evaporated milk
3/4-1 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
Pinch of cinnamon, cloves and allspice
1 teaspoon vanilla
A pinch of salt.

Pour the milk and the coconut in a bowl and add the beaten eggs. Mix well and add the remaining ingredients stirring constantly.

Pour this mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake in a double boiler at 350F for 45 minutes to 1 hour. It will be ready when the top of the dessert looks golden brown. Let it cool down. Store in the fridge for some hours. Microwave the flan in the baking dish for 2 minutes and turn over a platter. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Note: Using evaporated milk instead of regular will make it creamier.