Plantain Flan
Ibérico Caramel, Dates, Green Plantains, Caviar
Chef Kaylin Lloyd of Californios | San Francisco, CA
Adapted by StarChefs | August 2026 | Photo: Will Blunt
INGREDIENTS
Ibérico Caramel:
100 grams jamon Ibérico jus
100 grams chicken jus
100 grams date jus
Flan:
500 grams bananas
900 grams heavy cream
900 grams whole milk
21 grams cornstarch
15 grams kosher salt
270 grams egg yolks
Xanthan gum
3 dates, rolled
Date Stock:
2 kilograms dates
5 grams kosher salt
Plantain Chips:
Sliced green plantains
Rice bran oil
Kosher salt
To Assemble and Serve:
Caviar
METHOD
For the Ibérico Caramel:
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine all ingredients. Cook until mixture is reduced by thirty-percent. Remove from heat and set aside.
For the Flan:
Prepare and heat hearth with charcoal. Place bananas on a wire rack and grill until evenly browned. Set aside. In a stockpot over medium heat, add cream, milk, and charred bananas. Cook until mixture is reduced by twenty-five percent. Stir in cornstarch and salt. Bring mixture to a boil. Strain, then return mixture to pot over low heat. Keep warm. Place eggs in a metal mixing bowl and temper with cream. Add to pot and whisk to combine. Weigh mixture and add ½-percent xanthan gum by weight of mixture. Transfer to a Vitamix Commercial blender and purée until smooth. Strain and let cool over an ice bath. Heat a combination oven to 184°F at full steam setting. Place Ibérico Caramel in a nonreactive container. Top with rolled dates and 25 grams Flan Batter. Wrap with plastic wrap and steam 12 minutes or until set. Let cool.
For the Date Stock:
In a stockpot over medium-high heat, add all ingredients and 8 kilograms water. Simmer 4 hours, then strain through fine mesh sieve. Reserve.
For the Plantain Chips:
Place plantains in a nonreactive container. Add enough Date Stock to submerge. Let sit 10 minutes. In a frying pan over high flame, heat oil to 350°F. Add soaked plantains and fry until crisp and golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let drain. Season with salt.
To Assemble and Serve:
Heat a Vulcan combination oven to 185°F at full steam setting. Steam Flan 15 minutes. Transfer to small serving bowl. Drizzle with Ibérico Caramel. Cover with Plantain Chips. Finish with 1 quenelle caviar.
