Garlic Flans

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 large egg
• 4 small roasted garlic cloves (from Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic), mashed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 12 ripe medium tomatoes, cored and halved crosswise (about 3 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 head garlic, separated into cloves (about 15)
• 4 thyme sprigs

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350° and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the tomatoes, cut side down, on the baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and scatter the garlic and thyme on top.
2. Roast the tomatoes for about 20 minutes, or until the skins begin to wrinkle. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and carefully pull off the tomato skins. Return the baking sheet to the oven and roast the tomatoes until leathery on the outside but still slightly wet on the underside, about 1 1/2 hours longer. Peel the garlic and discard the skins and the thyme.
3. Preheat the oven to 300°. Butter eight 2-ounce ramekins. In a bowl, whisk the cream with the egg yolks, whole egg, garlic, salt and pepper until smooth. Pour the mixture into the ramekins and set them in a small roasting pan. Carefully pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
4. Bake the flans for about 30 minutes, or until set. Transfer the ramekins to a rack and let stand for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, invert the flans onto plates and serve.