Flan

Well let’s end this blog on sweet note. This recipe is something that I’ve never eaten before but  it seems to be offered in every Mexican food restaurant I’ve ever visited…Flan.  In my research, I found that Flan is the popular name for the original recipe “Creme Caramel” made in Mexico, Spain, and Portugal. 

So for this recipe you will need: 

1 can sweet condensed milk (14oz)
1 can evaporated milk (12 oz)
4 eggs 

Put all the ingredients in the blender

1 brick of cream cheese (8oz)  – this is optional, but Carmen suggests it.

Pretty simple. 

So you will take all your ingredients and put them in a blender.
Blend on high until the mixture is smooth, with no lumps from the cream cheese. 

While you are mixing that in the blender you will want to get a big pot, fill it about 1/3 of the way with tap water, and set it on high to boil on the stove. 

Pour the entire mixture into the pan

Once your mixture is ready you will want to pour it into the pan. Now Carmen says that her pan is the secret to making flan. It is specially designed with a lid that latches down so it stays tightly closed while it is cooking in a bain maire, or hot water. As I’ve never made flan before I will just have to take her word for it. 

Unfortunately, she bought her pan in Hermosillo, Mexico. But I found where you can buy your own for not very much.    

With the lid latched shut, put the pan in the pot of water. This is the trickier part because you will only want enough water in the pot to allow the pan to sit on the bottom of the pot without being submerged. I would recommend that when you start heating the water you put more than you think might be necessary, because it will easier to remove the excess water later with a cup. 

Leave the flan to cook in the boiling water for 1 hour and 45 minutes. 

A bain-marie

Once the flan is done, you will want to let the pan cool and then you will be able to invert the pan over a plate and the flan will slide out on the plate. This is in theory of course, so if it doesn’t work try tracing the inside of the pan with a knife to loosen up the flan from the pan. 

The traditional Mexican way to serve flan is to cut it into slices and top with carmel. Carmen said it is really difficult to make the carmel from scratch so she recommended buying carmel syrup at the grocery store. 

Well readers, its been fun. I hope you enjoy trying this last recipe and refer back to the others when needed! 

Buen Provecho!