Classic Flan
I recently came back from a trip to Washington to visit my favorite second mom, Cheryl Pratt. Cheryl has a beautiful, cozy house tucked back in the trees outside Seattle. Not only does she have four(!) of the cutest dogs, she has goats and chickens on her property to boot.
The chickens have gorgeous speckled eggs with the the most rich, orange yolks I’ve ever seen. Just look at these babies.
Last time I visited she requested custard, which threw me for a loop. What kind of custard? “Just custard”. Ok, lol. Not knowing what to do with that information I of course did nothing. But this time her request was more specific, she wanted flan. I was surprised to realize I hadn’t made one, though I have made my share of creme caramel in the early days of working at Tartine Manufactory. How different are they really? I didn’t want to risk any disappointment, so I googled a recipe and chose the third one down (always. The first two results must be flawed somehow) for classic flan, which hailed from A Cozy Kitchen.
It came out perfect, Cheryl was happy, and I got to use fresh eggs from her chickens. This recipe is great, look no further.
Classic Flan
Alexa | Date
Adapted from A Cozy Kitchen
active prep time: 15-20 minutes
inactive prep time: at least 4 hours
cook time: 35-45 minutes
Servings: 8-10
Equipment:
8-9 inch Cake Pan, Ramekin, or Pie Pan
Large Roasting Tray
Fine-Mesh Sieve
Medium Saucepan
Large Mixing Bowl
Whisk
Foil
Ingredients:
For the Caramel
1 cup Granulated Sugar
⅓ cup Water
pinch Sea Salt
For the Custard
4 large Eggs
2 large Egg Yolks
1 (14 oz) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 (12 oz) can Evaporated Milk
1 tsp Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Bean Paste
¾ tsp Sea Salt
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 325°F/163°C and bring a large kettle of water to a boil (this will be for a water bath in step 5).
In a large bowl whisk together the eggs and egg yolks until combined, then whisk in the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk thoroughly to combine, then pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to catch any bits of egg white that may not have been blended. Set aside briefly.
Alternatively, you can use a blender to mix the custard base. Add everything to the blender at once and blend on low speed until combined, trying to not get the mixture too bubbly or frothy.
Have the cake pan, ramekin, or pie plate ready nearby. In a medium saucepan combine the sugar and water, being careful to not let the sugar on the sides of the pot.
Cook the sugar mixture over medium-high heat until it turns medium amber in color, then add the salt and swirl the pan gently to combine. It may smoke a bit. Immediately pour the caramel into the cake pan (or ramekin, pie pan, etc), and gently turn the pan to evenly spread the caramel. Be careful with this, the caramel will burn the hell out of you.
Set the pan aside to cool for a moment, then pour the custard mixture on top.
Cover the pan tightly with foil, then place inside a large roasting pan. Place the pan in the oven and fill the roasting tray with boiling water (remember the kettle?), until the water reaches halfway up the side of the custard pan.
Cook for about 35-45 minutes until the custard jiggles a bit when the pan is lightly shaken.
Remove from the water bath and let cool on the counter for about 30 minutes, then transfer to the fridge to cool completely for at least 4 hours.
This can be done 1-2 days ahead of time. If prolonging the cooling period, cover the dish with foil or plastic wrap.
When ready to serve, gently run a knife or small offset spatula around the outside of the custard. Place a large plate on top of the pan, and flip the whole thing over. Remove the pan and marvel.