Dianes Flan Recipes

DIANA KENNEDY'S FLAN RECIPE

Steps:

• 1.Dump half a c. of sugar into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and turn on the heat to medium-high. When the bottom layer of sugar has melted and started to color, turn the heat up to high and stir continuously with a wooden spoon till all of the sugar is melted and a bit frothy and is a uniform medium brown. Pour the syrup into a mold - I used 9" Pyrex pie pans - and swirl around so which the caramel completely covers the bottom and comes partway up the sides. Set aside and let cold completely. 2.Pour a qt of whole lowfat milk into a saucepan, add in half a c. of sugar and a vanilla bean, and turn the heat to medium. Bring the lowfat milk to a simmer and cook gently for around 15 min. You should boil the lowfat milk down by around a c.. Set aside and let cold completely. 3.Put four whole Large eggs and six egg yolks into a large bowl and mix with a fork. Add in the cooled lowfat milk and mix thoroughly, then strain through cheesecloth or possibly a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. (Retrieve the vanilla bean, rinse with cool water, and dry on paper towels if you'd like to reuse it for something else.) Pour the Large eggs 'n' lowfat milk into the prepared mold. Place the mold into a larger pan and fill with boiling water to about halfway up the sides of the mold. Place into a preheated 350F oven and cook for two hrs or possibly till a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean. Take out of the oven and place on a rack and cold. When at room temperature, wrap with plastic wrap and chill overnight. 4.To serve, bring the flan back to room temperature. When the caramel has become completely liquid again, place a large plate over the flan and invert. Slice into eight slices. Serves eight normal people.

DIANE'S PLUM CRUMBLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Toss plums, flour, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, and ground cinnamon into a bowl. Stir until all ingredients are well mixed. Spread evenly in a 9-inch square, glass baking dish.
• Place flour, oats, brown sugar, butter, and salt for topping into a bowl; mix thoroughly until it appears crumbly. Sprinkle topping over the plum base.
• Bake in the preheated oven until topping is golden and crisp, about 45 minutes.

STEAK DIANE

Steps:

• Pairs well with: cabernet
• Add the beef stock to a saucepan and reduce over medium-high heat to 1/2 cup, about 1 hour.
• Sprinkle the steaks on both sides with the salt and pepper. In a large skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and the olive oil. When the butter has melted and the oil shimmers, add the steaks. Brown the steaks on both sides, 3 minutes per side. Transfer the steaks to a plate and set aside, lightly covered with foil.
• Add the mushrooms and shallots to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, adding oil if needed. Add the garlic. When the garlic is lightly colored, add the brandy (be careful, it can ignite). Add the wine, mustard, Worcestershire and the reduced beef stock. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes more. Return the steaks to the pan and finish cooking them to the desired temperature, 2 to 4 minutes, depending upon the size of the filets and desired temperature/doneness. For medium-rare, cook to 135 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the sauce to melt.
• To serve, place a steak on each plate and pour the sauce over the steak.

DIANE'S NO FAIL FRENCH BREAD

Steps:

• **Please read recipe notes before beginning if you live in a humid environment!**
• Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water.
• In a separate large bowl combine warm water*, sugar, salt, oil and 3 cups of the flour. Stir well.
• Add the yeast mixture to the warm water-flour mixture. Mix together with large wooden spoon or paddle attachment.
• Add the remaining 3 cups of flour, a cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• After all of the flour is added and mixed in, let sit in bowl for 10 minutes.
• When the dough has risen, stir down with a large spoon. If making in a stand mixer, turn the machine on low for a few seconds until the dough is deflated, and push dough to bottom part of bowl with a spatula.
• Repeat 5 times, every ten minutes, for a total of 60 minutes of rising and then punching (or pushing) down.
• Divide the dough in half. Roll each half of dough in a 9x12 rectangle on a floured surface.
• Roll the dough up like a jelly roll (long way). Place the dough on a greased baking pan (jelly roll pan), with the seam side down. Both loaves will fit on one pan.
• Score the bread across the top 3 or 4 times, and brush with beaten egg (if using).
• Let rise for 20-30 minutes in warm place.
• Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes in lower half of oven, until golden brown. Or you may bake at 350-375 convection for 18-20 minutes until golden.

CARAMEL FLANS FROM EAGLE BRAND®

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cook sugar in heavy skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until melted and caramel-colored. Carefully pour into 8 (6 oz.) ungreased custard cups, tilting to coat bottom completely.
• Beat eggs in medium bowl; stir in water, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and salt. Pour into prepared custard cups; set cups in larger shallow pan. Fill larger pan with 1 inch of hot water.
• Bake 25 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Move cups from larger pan to a wire rack; cool 1 hour. Chill several hours or overnight.
• Serve by loosening side of flan with knife; invert onto individual serving plates with rim. Top with Sugar Garnish, if desired, or garnish as desired.
• Sugar Garnish: Fill medium metal bowl half-full of ice. Combine sugar with water in medium saucepan; stir. Cover; bring to a boil. Cook over high heat 5 to 6 minutes or until light brown in color. Immediately put pan in ice for 1 minute. Carefully drizzle sugar decoratively over foil lined cookie sheet. Cool. To serve, peel from foil.

CLASSIC FLAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 10 minutes. Divide caramel among six 3/4-cup custard cups. Working quickly, tilt cups, coating bottoms and part of sides.
• Stir milk and 1/2 cup sugar in medium saucepan over low heat just until sugar dissolves (milk will be lukewarm). Whisk eggs in medium bowl until blended. Slowly whisk in milk mixture. Whisk in vanilla and salt. Strain custard into prepared cups.
• Arrange cups in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Pour enough hot water into baking pan to come halfway up sides of cups. Bake flans until just set in center, about 50 minutes. Remove cups from water and let stand 30 minutes. Chill until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day. Cut around sides of each cup to loosen flan; turn out onto plate.