Persimmon Flan - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Persimmon Puree
1/2 cup sugar
1 piloncillo cone (Mexican unrefined brown sugar, available in ethnic markets such as Fiesta)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cinnamon stick
10 ripe persimmons, unpeeled, stem end cut off flat
1/2 cup orange juice
Custard
1/2 piloncillo cone, finely chopped
12 ounces evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup persimmon, puree
1/2 lemon, juice of
Caramel
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water

Preparation

A day ahead, make the persimmon puree.
Put all ingredients for the puree in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat; cook for 3 to 4 minutes if fruit is very ripe and soft, up to 10 minutes if less ripe.
Pour into a glass bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
Puree in a food processor and pass through a sieve to remove solids.
The next day, make the custard.
Place piloncillo and evaporated milk in a heavy saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring, until piloncillo dissolves; set aside.
Place sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla in bowl of an electric mixer and blend while adding eggs, one at a time, then persimmon puree. Blend in piloncillo mixture and lemon juice.
Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
In a saucepan, heat sugar and water over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring, until mixture turns amber in color and reaches 325F to 355F degrees on a candy thermometer.
Immediately pour 1 to 2 tablespoons of caramel in bottom of 8 four-ounce glass baking cups.
Let cool briefly, then pour custard on top. Place cups in a water bath, cover with foil, and bake until a knife inserted in center of custard comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
Chill before unmolding.