Flan Caramel, A Classic
Flan, or flan caramel, is one of those desserts I, and everyone my age, grew up with. Actually, it could be the dessert we grew up with. Every mom, every household, would make it, with just slight variations in the recipe. And not only at home, but every restaurant menu would have it, together with peach or pineapple “en almíbar”, in syrup, and different flavors of ice cream, most often chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. When I say this, I don’t mean that flan is an “old” dessert, made long ago, and that has been replaced by others in the 21st-century. Not at all! In fact, flan is a classic that never goes out of style, and shares restaurant menus with many other newer, fancy desserts.
I was tempted to translate flan caramel as caramel custard, but I decided not to. The reason is, flan is like paella, there’s really no translation for it, because a flan is not a custard, just like paella is not any rice dish.
The recipe I’m sharing today is the traditional Spanish flan caramel. There are many other variations, which include orange, apple, coconut, or other fruit, and I’ll probably be adding them to the blog. But this one is the classic, the traditional, and honestly, my favorite. You can make it in individual molds, or in a loaf pan, or in a larger family size mold. I like the individual ones, because I can just take one out of the fridge and enjoy it as I please. But I have to admit, it might be easier to make it in a loaf pan or family size mold.
The caramel used in this recipe is what in Spain we call azúcar quemada, literally translated as burnt sugar. It’s more of a caramelized sugar, rather than what in America we call caramel, or crème caramel. In burnt sugar, or caramelized sugar, the only ingredient is, well, sugar. However, don’t be misled by its name: if the sugar burns, you’ve gone too far, and you’ll have to start over. Making caramelized sugar is more of a technique, and it might take you a bit of practice to master it. I suggest you start on low heat and keep it on low heat. It will take longer to make, probably 10 minutes or so, but you will have better control of the process and the result.
Something else to take into account, flan will take a while to cool down, so you might want to make it early in the morning if you want to have it for dessert after dinner. Or better yet, make it the day before. Flan keeps really well in the fridge for a few days, so if like me, you make it in individual molds, you’ll ensure you have enough dessert for a couple of days (unless they disappear in one sitting, which could be very possible!)
We’ve been mountain biking quite a bit lately, in this gorgeous fall weather that gifts us with the most breathtaking light filtering through the trees in the forest. Each day is different, some leaves are turning, while others are already falling, creating the most magical scenes as you pedal trough the woods. I thought I would share with you some of those images, even if the best ones are not reproduced and stay only in my memory, as I hold on tight to the handlebar (no go-pro for me!)
FLAN CARAMEL
Flan al Caramelo
Utensils:
One large flan pan, or 8 individual flan ramekins, or a 5 by 9-inch loaf pan
Ingredients:
For the caramelized sugar coating:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
For the flan:
4 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
3 cups whole milk
1 cinnamon stick
2 strips lemon peel
1 cup granulated sugar
Preheat the oven to 300ºF.
Prepare the caramelized sugar coating:
Spread the sugar in an even layer in a heavy bottom saucepan and heat over low heat. Without stirring, and after several minutes (6-8 mins), watch the sugar start to melt. Resist the urge to stir. The sugar will turn color as it liquifies, from yellowish to golden to brown. As soon as the sugar liquifies into a brown color, remove from the heat and swiftly pour into the flan pan or ramekins, as it can solidify quickly. Once in the ramekins, it will solidify, and that’s okay, as the future baking with the flan mixture in the oven will liquify it again.
Prepare the flan:
In a saucepan, combine the milk, the lemon peel and the cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, decrease the heat to low, and simmer for 10 more minutes, so the milk gets infused with the lemon and cinnamon. Remove the saucepan from the heat to cool down.
In a medium bowl combine the eggs, the egg yolks and the sugar and beat until frothy. Place a fine-mesh sieve over the bowl and pour the cooled down milk slowly into the egg mixture, whisking until well blended.
Distribute the mixture into the ramekins and place them in a high rim baking pan. Fill the pan with water so it comes to halfway up the height of the cups (“baño de María”) and place in the oven. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the flan sets. Remove the pan from the oven, remove the ramekins from the water bath, and let cool. Cover and place in the fridge.
When ready to serve, run a pointed knife around the inside of each ramekin to loosen it and invert onto a dessert plate (or place the plate upside down over the ramekin and turn, gently shaking to help the flan “fall” onto the plate)
Note: to clean the saucepan, simply fill with water and let it sit. The remaining caramelized sugar will dissolve.
Note 2: if you use a large flan pan or a loaf pan, baking time will take longer than 1 1/2 hours. Bake until the flan “jiggles” slightly when gently shaking the pan
