flan is one of my favorite desserts! making killer flan isn't all that difficult; it just takes a little practice and a bit of creativeness.
i grind up about 2-3 medium sized cinnamon sticks, with a pinch of ground nutmeg, and then add granulated sugar (about a couple of tablespoons) until the mixture has a beautiful brown and white speckled look to it. don't add too much sugar, though.
use a teflon or calphalon pan for this step. pre-heat the pan at a medium-high heat, then throw in a cup of sugar. stir often until all the sugar melts. i like my caramel just a tad bit on the burnt side, but you have to be careful not to burn it too much because it will be very very bitter.
after the sugar has melted, pour it into a 9", oven-proof glass pie dish. tilt the dish side to side to evenly coat the pan. don't worry if it's not perfect, unless you are martha stewart reading this. i like to sprinkle the flavorings on the hardened caramel.
i use a blender for this step. first, i add the eggs, then the liquids. i've added a shot of sherry or coconut rum to the mixture and i have enjoyed the results. make sure that the eggs get beaten sufficiently, but don't over-beat them if you are using heavy whipping cream. flan tends to get thicker the longer you beat the mixture. about a minute is the best time.
this is what makes flan, flan. after preheating the oven to 325, i place an extra-large skillet on the lower rack. then i put the pie dish with caramel in the center of it. next, i pour the flan mixture into it (this is why using a blender helps!) quickly, i add about two cups of water into the large skillet to surround the pie dish, as in a bath. bake for 90 minutes.
after baking, i let the flan cool for a couple of hours on the counter, then i throw it in the fridge to chill for several more hours.
i leave the flan as it is in the pie dish. if you want to remove it, follow these steps.
before unmolding, loosen outer edges of flan with a thin knife (i use a metal spatula.) place a serving plate with rim over flan and invert. scrape all that yummy caramel sauce from dish and spoon over flan. at this time, you can add as much rum or sherry as you like to give the flan a nice kick.
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)
1 can evaporated milk (5 oz)
1 cup (heavy) whipping cream
4 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (use the real stuff!)
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 can of evaporated milk
1 tsp of vanilla
6-7 egg yolks
mix all the ingredients well. instead of using regular granulated sugar for the caramel, use 1/2 cup of dark brown. pass the egg yolks through a sieve and blend slowly into the mixture.
pour the mixture into the caramel-coated dish. cover with cling wrap and place in a covered water bath and steam cook for 30 minutes. cool very well first before throwing it into the fridge.
do you have your own secret way of making flan? send me the recipe and i'll post it here and credit you with it!