The Easiest Authentic Mexican Flan
I'm always amazed when I find a link between cuisines. Take for example flan, it is a custard based desserts with caramelized sugar some people love it and some people hate it. Those that don't like it are just haters! So what's interesting is that in France they have a dish very similar, if not identical, to the flan they just call it creme caramel and of course there is also the ever popular crème brûlée which is basically a flan but upside down or is it right side up? Anyway! The point is that all of these desserts are very similar in the flavor profiles yet some (crème brûlée) are seen as this fancy dessert despite them being as easy to make as a flan.
So this recipe comes directly from my mom. I remember her making flan for us when I was growing up, it was one of my favorite treats. I have always had a sweet tooth so I remember always begging her to make me some. Well now I don't have to beg because as it turns out the recipe for this flan is so easy almost anyone could do it!
It’s no joke, the recipe is so simple I could do it blindfolded. So all you need is a blender and a few ingredients. In the blender you’re going to crack 3 large eggs, add a can of Whole evaporated milk and a can of sweetened condensed milk. After this you can customize your flan flavoring to your liking. I added a simple dash of vanilla but you could also incorporate a teaspoon of instant coffee or chocolate syrup or cinnamon or rose water, whatever you want really the possibilities are endless!
This may be the hardest step in the cooking process but we are going to make the caramel topping. This step is completely optional as some people would prefer to just drizzle the caramel on top or some simply find it overly sweet and opt to go without it, it's completely up to you! Begin by preheating your oven to 350F. Now, in a small pan over medium heat add about 1/3 cup of sugar. The sugar will slowly start to melt but keep an eye on it. Meanwhile, boil a pot of water. I don't really measure how much water, it is just enough to be able to cover the ramekins about 1/2 inch. Take a look at your sugar and it should be starting to brown a little. You can give a stir if you still see large chunks of sugar, but overall it should all be smooth. Be very careful pouring it as the sugar is VERY hot. In your ramekin pour a little of the melted sugar and swirl it around to cover the entire bottom and a little of the walls. You need to work fast though because the sugar will solidify quickly. Once all your ramekins are covered pour in some of the flan mixture and individually cover with aluminum foil. Place in a large shallow dish and fill with hot water. Carefully transfer into oven and bake for approximately 20-25 minutes, could be a little longer depending on the depth of your ramekins. Keep an eye on it and test how done it is by looking at the center of the flan to ensure that it is still a little jiggly but not liquid soupy.
Remove from oven and let cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes and then place in refrigerator minimum 4 hours to overnight. Once flan has chilled take a sharp knife and run it around the sides of the ramekin to help release the flan. Turn it over on a plate and enjoy!
Bon appetit!
Easy Authentic Mexican Flan
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
3 large eggs
1 can of whole evaporate milk
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp of vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a blender combine eggs, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.
Bring to a boil a large pot of water.
Over medium heat in a small sauce pan melt 1/3 cup of sugar.
Carefully pour sugar into ramekins and swirl to cover base and part of walls.
Pour flan mixture into the prepared ramekins and cover with aluminum foil.
Place in a shallow dish with hot water rising to about 1/2in on the ramekins. Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until center looks set.
Cool at room temperature for 30 minutes and then refrigerate for minimum of 4 hours to overnight.
Using a sharp knife go around border of flan and invert on a plate.
