Flan Clasico Recipes

LOW-SUGAR MEXICAN FLAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. To caramelize sugar: In 8-inch heavy skillet, cook 1/3 cup sugar over medium-high heat until sugar starts to melt, shaking skillet occasionally to heat sugar evenly. Do not stir. Once sugar starts to melt, reduce heat to low. Cook about 5 minutes or until all of the sugar is melted and golden brown, stirring as needed with wooden spoon.
• Immediately divide caramelized sugar among six 6-ounce custard cups; tilt cups to coat bottoms evenly. Allow to cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine eggs, evaporated milk, 1/3 cup sugar and vanilla.
• Place custard cups in 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Divide egg mixture among custard cups. Place baking pan on oven rack. Pour hottest tap water available into baking pan around custard cups to a depth of about 1/2 inch.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted near center of each flan comes out clean. Remove cups from water. Cool on wire rack. Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours.
• To unmold, loosen edges of flans with knife, slipping point between flans and side of custard cups. Invert dessert plate over each flan; turn plate and custard cup over together. Remove cups from flans. Spoon any caramelized sugar that remains in cups on top. If desired, serve with fresh fruit.

CLASSIC FLAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place a small bowl of cold water and a pastry brush near the stove top. Place a 9-inch cake pan in a large roasting pan. Bring a large kettle or pot of water to a boil.
• Make the caramel: In a saucepan over medium-high heat, mix sugar and 3 tablespoons water, stirring to combine. Do not stir again. Cook, washing down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water, or cover with a tight-fitting lid, to prevent crystals from forming, until caramel is amber, about 8 minutes, swirling pan to color evenly. Pour into cake pan, swirling to coat bottom evenly.
• Make the custard: In a small saucepan, heat milk with 1/2 cup sugar over medium just until mixture starts to steam and bubble around the edges, 5 to 6 minutes (do not let it boil).
• Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, yolks, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add ladle of hot milk mixture to the egg mixture and whisk to combine. (This is called tempering, and it prevents the eggs from curdling.) Add two more ladles of milk mixture, one at a time, whisking to combine after each addition. Gradually whisk in remaining milk mixture. Strain through a fine sieve into a large measuring cup or a bowl (to remove any cooked bits of egg). Stir in vanilla.
• Pour custard into cake pan. Place roasting pan in oven. Add enough boiling water to pan to come halfway up the sides of the pan. Bake until custard is just set (it should tremble slightly in center when shaken), about 50 minutes.
• Remove roasting pan from oven. Use tongs to carefully remove pan from hot-water bath and place on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 8 hours (or up to 3 days). To unmold, run a sharp knife around the flan, and place a rimmed serving plate upside down over the top. Invert, and gently lift pan to remove. Serve immediately.

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.

FLAN CLASICO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Heat sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar is caramel-colored.
• Quickly pour into a 9-inch pie dish.
• BLEND sweetened condensed milk, eggs, and instant coffee granules in a BLENDER until smooth.
• Pour into pie dish over caramel.
• Cover pie dish tightly with foil.
• Place pie dish into a larger container; pour in warm water to 1-inch depth.
• Bake at 325F for 55-65 minutes, or until a knife inserted near center of dish comes out clean.
• Remove flan from water; cool.
• Chill for 4 hours. NOTE: Cook time is chill time!
• Run knife around edge of pie dish. Invert serving plate over pie dish; turn over; shake gently to release flan.
• Serves 8.

CLASSIC MEXICAN FLAN

Steps:

• In a small saucepan melt sugar over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is a dark, caramel-colored liquid.
• Remove from heat and pour into a 4 cup metal ring mold or 8 individual molds.
• Quickly turn mold to coat bottom and sides with the caramel.
• Let cool so caramel hardens.
• Heat oven to 325.
• Put the condensed milk, milk, eggs, egg yolks and flavorings into an electric blender.
• Cover and blend to mix well.
• Pour mixture into mold; put mold in a larger pan filled with water to depth of 1/2 inch.
• Bake for 1 hour.
• Remove from oven and remove mold from water.
• Cool and then refrigerate up to 2 days.
• Cover mold with an inverted serving platter.
• Hold mold and platter together and turn them over.
• Lift off mold.
• Caramel will fall as a liquid sauce over the custard.