Categories: Desserts 
      Yield: 6 servings 
  
      2 c  Milk                                     Pinch   salt 
    3/4 c  Granulated sugar                         Flan mold coated with 
      1    Small coconut                            Caramel 
      5    Small eggs, separated           
  
       Preheat the oven to 450F. 
   
       Place the sugar and milk in a heavy saucepan and melt the sugar over 
  low heat, then raise the heat and boil the mixture briskly. Take care that 
  it does not boil over. As soon as the mixture begins to thicken, stir it so 
  that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. After about 30 minutes it 
  should be the consistency of thin condensed milk and has been reduced to 1 
  cup.  See Note. 
   
       Pierce holes through two of the "eyes" of the coconut and drain the 
  water from it.  Set the water aside. 
   
       Put the whole coconut into the oven for about 8 minutes. Crack it 
  open; the flesh should come away quite easily from the shell. 
   
       Pare the brown skin from the coconut flesh with a potato peeler. Grate 
  the coconut finely.  You will need 2 1/4 cups, loosely packed, for the 
  flan. 
   
       Add the grated coconut to the reserved coconut water and boil it for 
  about 5 minutes, stirring it constantly. 
   
       Add the "condensed" milk and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. 
  Set the mixture aside to cool. 
   
       Beat the egg yolks together until they are creamy and stir them well 
  into the coconut mixture. 
   
       Beat the egg whites until they are frothy, add the salt and continue 
  beating until they are stiff. Fold them into the mixture. 
   
       Pour the mixture into the prepared mold.  Cover the mold with a 
  well-greased lid and place into a water bath. 
   
       Cook the flan on the lowest shelf of the oven for about 1 1/2 hours, 
  then test to see if it is done. When it is done, set it aside to cool. 
   
  Makes 6 servings. 
   
  NOTES: 
       Of course, you can substitute1 cup of lightly thinned canned, 
  sweetened condensed milk for the milk and sugar and substitute pre-grated 
  but unsweetened coconut. Use milk instead of coconut water; the flavor will 
  just not be quite as good. 
   
       Do not think you have done something wrong when you see that the 
  coconut and custard have separated. That is how it is meant to be. The 
  caramel will nearly all have been absorbed by the spongy layer of coconut. 
   
       If you are using fresh coconut there will almost certainly be some 
  left over.  It will keep perfectly well if frozen. 
   
       To test to see if the flan is cooked through, insert the blade of a 
  knife or a skewer well into the flan. The knife should come out clean. Take 
  care not to pierce the flan at the bottom or it will spoil the appearance 
  of the top when it is unmolded. 
   
  From: The Cuisines of Mexico; Diana Kennedy; ISBN 0-06-091561-7 Posted by 
  Fred Peters.