Flan

Flan is an egg-milk custard. There are many variations all over the world. But they are all basically the same. It was in the early Middle Ages, in Spain, when they started using only the ingredients from which the original recipe is made today, and introduced caramelized sugar into the mixture and to call it flan. Growing up this was a regular dessert at our house. If I came in the kitchen and saw my mother making caramel, I knew it was a good day. There would be flan.
I have included a couple of recipes because my friend Maytte makes the Cuban version of Tres Leches Flan. My mother made the Flan de Vainilla.  Both wonderful.
Flan

Ingredients

CARAMEL:

  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2/3 cup water

CUSTARD:

  • 6 eggs
  • 6 tbsp sugar
  • 2 cup whole milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 circular mold
  • 1 pan into which the mold fits as a double boiler
Flan de Vainilla

Flan is enjoyed in all Latin American countries. It is a custard made with eggs, milk and sugar, and cooked in a circular mold placed in a double boiler. It is becoming mainstream and available in the USA, ready to eat, in the refrigerated section of your supermarket. Never as good as homemade though. The most difficult part of making flan is preparing the caramel.

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Place the mold into the pan that you will use as a double boiler. Fill the pan with water until the level gets to an inch from the top of the mold. 

Step 2

Take the mold out and put the pan into an oven at 350°F to heat the water.

Step 3

Make the caramel by placing the sugar and water into a pan on medium heat. Without stirring, the sugar will begin to melt and become caramel. Pay attention so that it does not burn. 

Step 4

When it is a dark amber color, quickly but VERY carefully, pour it into the mold and turn it to coat the bottom and sides. Allow it to cool. Be careful. You don’t want to be burned by caramel.

Step 5

Beat the eggs and the sugar. Add the milk and vanilla and mix everything well. 

Step 6

Pour the mix into the mold with caramel.

Step 7

Carefully place the mold into the double boiler in the oven. Cook for one and a half hours. When it is done, take it out of the oven and allow it to cool for an hour. Then put it into the refrigerator. 

Step 8

To serve it, run a knife along the inner edge of the mold. Cover with a deep, rimmed plate and quickly invert it. The caramelized part will be the top of the flan.

CARAMEL:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup sugar

CUSTARD:

  • 1 can condensed milk
  • 1 can evaporated milk
  • 6 oz whole milk
  • 5 eggs (beaten to mix)
Flan Tres Leches

Tres Leches means Three milks. And that is what this flan is made with: condensed, evaporated and whole milk. The preparation is similar to the Flan de Vainilla.

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Caramel: Boil without stirring until caramel color. Coat the bottom and sides of 6-8 qt. casserole with the caramel.

Step 2

Custard: Mix milks together in a pot and heat to a boil. 

Step 3

Add a little bit of the mixture to the eggs then add all the eggs to the milk. 

Step 4

Pour mixture into the coated casserole. 

Step 5

Place casserole in the center of a larger casserole or Pyrex with water. Water level should come up to about half of the flan casserole.

Step 6

Bake in a 400°F oven until water boils. Then lower heat to 350 and bake for an hour.

Step 7

To serve it, run a knife along the inner edge of the mold. Cover with a deep, rimmed plate and quickly invert it. The caramelized part will be the top of the flan.