Flan (Mexican egg custard) - holiday favorite

Each year, I get several requests to make flan for the holidays.  When I was first introduced to flan, I always heard it was difficult to make...until I found an excellent, easy recipe.  This recipe is so versatile, meaning I am able to make all kinds of variations of flan--coconut, cheese, pumpkin cheese, flan cake, caramel apple flan cake...the list goes on.  I'm thinking of making banana, pecan flan for the holidays.

Serves 6-8.

Preheat the oven to 350.

INGREDIENTS

6 large eggs

2 cans evaporated milk

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 cups sugar (white or turbinado)

1 tsp vanilla

dash of salt

DIRECTIONS

In a heavy bottom pot, melt 1 cup of sugar over med heat.  Once it starts to melt, stir often to prevent burning.  

In a large mixing bowl, eggs, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla and dash of salt.  Using a mixer or whisk, mix well for about 2 minutes.

In 2 oven safe 7" or 8" round baking dishes (at least 3" deep), while HOT, pour half of the melted mixture into each dish.  Let it cool for about 2 min, the sugar will harden.  

Place the pot in the sink and fill with water.  The sugar will dissolve and the pot will be easy to clean in less than 30 min.

In the baking dishes, pour half of the egg mixture into each dish.

Place the dishes into a large 2" deep pan and fill the pan 2/3 of the way with water.  Place the pan(s) with the egg dishes into the oven.  Let cook for about an hour.  Check if they are done by inserting a knife in the center of one, if it comes out clean, it is done.  If the knife comes out with little bits of custard on it, then cook the custard for about 10-20 more minutes.

Once the flan is done, let stand room temperature for at least 15 min.  The flan should be cook before eating it.  You can let it sit out overnight or put in the fridge.  

When you're ready to eat it, take a butter knife around the edge of the flan to cut it loose.  Place a pan or large plate over the top of the flan dish, and turn it upside down.  The flan and caramel sauce should release from the pan.  Ready to eat!!

TIPS

• This dish cooks best in a round dish with smooth edges.
• To make cheese flan, add a softened 8oz block of cream cheese to the recipe.
• To make flan cake, 
• prepare the batter of a cake mix (preferably white or yellow for plain flan).  
• In a 13x9" pan, cover bottom with store-bought caramel or homemade caramel per the directions above, 
• pour in half of the flan mixture (it should be about 1" deep) over the caramel.  
• Pour the cake mixture evenly over the top.  
• Bake at 350 till a knife comes out clean, about 45 min. 
• Turn upside down onto a large plate or serve from pan.
• To make pumpkin cheese:
• Include 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling), 8oz softened cream cheese, and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice to egg mixture prior to stirring.