Carmelite Flan Food

FLAN

Steps:

• To make the caramel:
• Have ready 8 individual 5-ounce ramekins. In a thick sided heavy duty pot, combine the sugar, corn syrup, 1/2 cup of the water, and lemon juice. Cook over high heat until a medium brown caramel forms. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of water. Pour about 1 tablespoon of caramel into each ramekin.
• To make the flan:
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Cream together the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar in bowl. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the half-and-half and vanilla bean to a scald. Gradually whisk the half-and-half mixture into the eggs, a little at a time at first and whisking constantly, to temper the egg mixture.
• Fill each ramekin almost to the top with the egg mixture. Set the ramekins in a deep baking dish and fill the dish with hot water that reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until the flan is set (jiggly but not firm), about 90 minutes. Let cool and refrigerate.
• To serve, use a paring knife to cut around the outside of the ramekin and then invert the mold over each serving plate. It may be necessary to shake the flan or gently push it back on one side in order to get the flan to break loose from the ramekin. Serve with the liquid caramel that pours out as a sauce.
• This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

CARAMEL KEY LIME FLAN

Steps:

• Special Equipment: 9-inch cake pan or molds
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Caramel: In a heavy-bottomed pan, bring the sugar and water to a boil over medium heat Stir with a wooden spoon, until a pale brown color develops. Remove from the heat, and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes, then pour into the cake pan, evenly coating the entire bottom. The caramel is extremely hot, so be careful when pouring it into the cake pan or molds.
• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add the condensed milk, the milk, the lime juice and zest, orange liqueur, and vanilla. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring throughout to combine flavors.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and yolk together, then slowly temper into the milk mixture, constantly stirring the eggs into the warmed milk. Slowly incorporating the eggs will keep the eggs from scrambling. Pour milk mixture over the caramel in cake pan. Put the cake pan into a larger shallow vessel filled halfway up with water. Put the dish into the oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.
• Remove the flan from oven and let cool. Refrigerate the flan overnight. To remove the flan from the pan, put the pan into a shallow container with about 1-inch of warm water. Let sit for about 10 minutes, which will soften the caramel and make it easier to remove.
• Invert the flan onto a platter and serve.

VANILLA CARAMEL FLAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Make caramel by combining sugar and water in a medium saucepan and cooking over moderate heat swirling occasionally until color begins to turn golden, about 12 to 15 minutes. Turn heat to low and continue cooking and swirling constantly until color is dark brown and mixture smells of caramel. Remove from heat and pour into a 9-inch round cake pan. Using a towel or hot pad, tilt pan and swirl caramel to coat the bottom and sides well. It will need a few minutes to cool down in order for about 1/4-inch of caramel to stick to the pan. Then pour excess back into the pot it was cooked in and add 2 cups milk. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, to dissolve excess caramel into milk, about 3 to 5 minutes. Strain warm milk and caramel mixture in a bowl and add cold half and half. Mix well. Add sugar, eggs, yolks and vanilla. Whisk custard to mix and strain into caramelized pan. Set flan into a roasting pan in the oven and pour boiling water into roasting pan until it rises halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until center feels just firm when pressed gently with the fingertips. Set aside to cool for about 1 1/2 hours then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 4 days.
• To serve, run a knife along the inside edge to loosen. Cover with a platter and quickly invert. Carefully drain excess caramel into a small sauce pitcher and reserve. Serve wedges of flan on dessert plates topped with extra caramel sauce.

CARAMELIZED APPLE FLAN

Steps:

• Place the sugar in a saucepan, and moisten it with the water without stirring. Bring to a boil and cook until light golden brown. Immediately pour the caramel into an 8 to 9 cup mold (a cake pan will do) and swirl and tilt the mold to coat it with the caramel, including the walls.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large skillet, melt the butter and let it foam. Add the apples and cook on medium low heat, covered, for 15 minutes. Add the brandy and flame it, then continue to cook, shaking the pan, for 2 minutes or so.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and cinnamon. Stir in the half-and-half and the apples. Pour this custard into the caramel-lined mold and bake in a water bath for 50 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Remove the flan from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Run a knife around the edge of the mold then turn the flan out onto a serving platter. Pour any caramel sauce from the mold over the flan.

CARAMELIZED ONION AND POTATO FLAN

Steps:

• In large frying pan over medium heat, saute onions in butter until deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cook slowly to caramelize.
• Grease a 9" x 13" or large round baking dish. Layer half the potatoe slices in a shingle fashion and season. Top with half the onions and cheese. Repeat next layer, ending with cheese.
• Bake at 350F for 50 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender. Cut in squares or wedges to serve.

CARAMELIZED COFFEE FLAN

Steps:

• Place the sugar in a small heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the sugar crystallizes into lumps (about 15 minutes). Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts and turns a light golden brown (about 15 minutes). Quickly pour the hot caramel mixture into an ungreased 8 inch round cakepan, tilting to coat the bottom evenly. Set aside. (The mixture will harden -- this is supposed to happen!).
• Combine eggs and remaining ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a wire whisk until the coffee granules dissolve. Pour the egg mixture over the caramelized sugar in the cakepan.
• Place the cakepan in a large shallow baking dish. Pour hot water into the baking dish to a depth of 1 inch. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center of the flan comes out clean.
• Remove pan from water, and let cool. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.
• To serve, loosen the edge of the custard with a spatula, and invert onto a serving plate.

CARMELITE FLAN

Steps:

• Place eggs, sweetened condensed milk, water and vanilla in a blender jar.
• Blend until well mixed and frothy, 30 to 45 seconds.
• Set aside.
• Melt sugar over medium-low heat in small skillet, stirring constantly, until caramelized (sugar melts and turns light brown).
• Divide caramelized sugar equally among 5 10-ounce custard cups, tilting to cover the entire bottom.
• Pour egg mixture on top of caramelized sugar, dividing equally among the cups.
• Set custard cups in a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan to come about halfway up the sides of the custard cups.
• Bake at 350F for about 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool to room temperature, then chill completely in refrigerator.
• To serve, run a thin knife or spatula around the rim of each flan to loosen, then turn custards out on individual dessert plates, with caramel on top.