how2heroes » Spanish Vanilla Flan

Print Recipe

Makes 20 individual cups or one 9 1/2" to 10" circle, 5" deep

Ingredients

Spanish Vanilla Custard

15 eggs
¾ cup sugar
1 qt light cream (4 cups or 32 oz)
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup vanilla extract
nonstick cooking spray or butter to grease the molds

Caramelo

2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups water
2 cups light brown sugar
1½ tbsp instant coffee (replace with 1 shot of espresso if possible)

Special Equipment

mesh strainer
oven-safe cups or molds

How-to

Place granulated sugar, light brown sugar, water, and instant coffee (or espresso shot) into a sauce pan and melt over medium-high heat. Allow time to bubble and turn a deep amber color; about 10 minutes
Remove from heat, cool, and set aside for future use
Crack eggs into a bowl and whisk
Sift sugar, add to the eggs and whisk again
Add the light cream, condensed milk, and vanilla
Whisk until incorporated and then strain through a fine colander
Put just enough Caramelo to coat the base of a baking pan/oven-safe soufflé cups and allow time to cool. Set aside remaining Caramelo to use as a sauce for finished product
Pour egg mixture over the cooled Caramelo sauce in the baking pan/oven-safe soufflé cups, and fill about three-quarters of the way full with egg mixture
Put cups or pan into a water bath and cover with foil
Bake in a water bath at 325º for 1 hour, checking every minutes and turning pan once for even heat on all sides
After 1 hour of cooking, remove the foil, and check the center of the flan with a toothpick or knife. If the toothpick comes out clean then the flan is done. If the toothpick comes out with custard traces then cook for an additional 10 minutes uncovered
Once toothpick comes out clean, remove the water bath pan from the oven, and allow the flan to cool while sitting in the water bath. Do Not Remove from water until cool
Once cool to the touch, remove flan from the water bath, and chill for a couple hours
Once chilled, run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan to make sure the flan will release easily
Put a plate over the top of the pan and quickly turn upside down. Drizzle Caramelo over the top of flan and enjoy!

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Michael Brunson

Michael Brunson has lived in almost half the states in the US and has absorbed valuable culinary knowledge and experience along the way. Mike pays tribute to his grandfather, who through the more difficult years of the 1920s and '30s had to get a "real job," and was not able to pursue his own passion for cooking. Times have changed and Mike is living the chef's dream of doing what he loves. You'll find him at Solea Restaurant & Tapas Bar in Waltham, MA, where he offers a diverse menu with the flavors of Spain, Portugal, Chile and Argentina.