Flan Antigua 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.

FLAN DE LECHE

Steps:

• Make caramel: Pour 1 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons water into a saucepan, preferably one that is white or light-colored inside. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, swirling the pan to combine the sugar and water. Do not stir. Let boil until deep amber in color, swirling the pan occasionally to caramelize evenly, about 10 minutes total. Watch the pan carefully after the mixture starts turning golden; it will quickly become light brown, then amber, then dark amber.
• Immediately pour caramel into a 9- by -5-inch loaf pan and swirl to coat the bottom evenly. Set aside to harden.
• Heat oven to 325 degrees.
• In a saucepan or microwaveable bowl or pitcher, combine milk, lemon zest, salt and remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar. Over low heat or in the microwave, heat through, stirring to melt the sugar. Set aside.
• In a blender (or using a hand blender in a pitcher), combine eggs, egg yolks and vanilla. Blend until smooth.
• Remove the lemon zest strips from the hot milk mixture. With the blender running, gradually pour the milk mixture into the eggs. Go very slowly at first so that the eggs don't cook from the heat of the milk. Blend just until smooth. Pour egg-milk mixture into the caramel-lined pan.
• Place a 9- by- 13-inch baking dish in the lower third of oven. Carefully place the loaf pan in the baking dish. Pour hot tap water into the baking dish until it comes about halfway up the sides of the loaf pan. (Don't worry if the oven seems to be losing heat; the flan will adjust.)
• Bake 55 to 65 minutes, until flan is set but still jiggly in the center. Remove flan from water bath and cool on a rack for 30 minutes. Refrigerate, uncovered, until cold and firm, at least 8 hours or up to 3 days. The caramel will soften as it sits.
• To unmold, run a thin sharp knife around the edges. Center a flat-bottomed platter or serving dish with a rim on top of the pan and, holding both, carefully flip the pan and plate together. The flan will fall onto the plate with a squelch; lift off the pan and let the caramel run all over the top. (If the flan doesn't come out, flip it back over and rest the bottom of the pan on a hot wet kitchen towel for a few minutes, to melt the caramel.) Serve chilled, in slices.