Panamanian Vanilla Flan Food

VANILLA FLAN

Steps:

• Put 1/2 cup of the sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until it begins to melt and turns brown around the edges. Pull the melted sugar around the edges toward the center of the un-melted sugar with a heatproof rubber spatula. Continue cooking, pulling the melted sugar, until all the sugar is melted and the caramel is uniformly dark amber (it should smell caramelly but not burnt), 10 to 12 minutes total. (If you still have undissolved lumps of sugar, stir it off heat until melted.) Pour the caramel into 8-by-2-inch deep cake pan in an even layer, 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep. Let the caramel cool; it will crack as it cools and that's ok.
• Bring the cream, milk and vanilla bean to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and steep for 30 minutes.
• Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• Put the eggs, salt and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a blender and puree on low speed until smooth and the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute.
• Strain the cream mixture into the egg mixture and blend at low speed to combine, discarding any solids. Skim the foam off the top and transfer to the prepared baking dish. Remove any remaining foam from the top and cover the dish tightly with foil.
• Line a roasting pan with a clean kitchen towel; this will keep the baking dish from sliding and it will insulate the flan, preventing it from overcooking. Set the baking dish on a towel and pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the baking dish; the flan should not be floating. Bake the flan until it looks set like gelatin(it will wobble when gently shaken), 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, remove the foil and let cool. Cover the dish with plastic and refrigerate until set and cold, at least 3 hours and up to 24.
• When ready to serve, run a paring knife around the edges of the flan to loosen. Invert it onto a platter. Serve cold. The flan can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Unmold and serve.

BASIC SPANISH FLAN

Steps:

• Lay out 6 flan molds or 8 oz. shallow dishes out in a row, or you may use a single 9" round tart pan or pie plate.
• Now, place sugar in saucepan and place directly over medium heat on the stove top. Watch closely and constantly stir. The sugar will brown and turn to liquid. (Do not add water or other liquids.)Watch closely and do not allow the sugar to scorch. Remove from heat and distribute the caramelized sugar equally across the bottom of the flan molds. The sugar will almost immediately harden, but once it is baked with the custard, it will liquefy and remain liquid.
• In a mixing bowl combine evaporated milk, whole milk, eggs and vanilla and whisk together until the eggs are mixed well. While mixing you may add a few tablespoons of sugar or honey to sweeten to taste. Distribute the custard mixture in the flan molds.
• Pour about an inch of water into a large roasting pan. Set on an oven rack and then place the molds in the roasting pan. (Do not allow water level to go over the side of your flan molds.) Carefully push in the rack and close the oven door.
• Set oven to 350*F. Do not preheat. Bake for one hour. Test for doneness by inserting a knife. If it comes out clean, then the custard has fully cooked.
• When done, remove individual flans from roasting pan and place on a rack to cool.
• Flan can be served slightly warm or chilled in the refrigerator.
• To serve, run a knife around the top of the flan where it is connected to the mold. Flip over the mold onto the serving plate and then jiggle the flan loose so that it falls in one piece onto the plate. The caramelized sugar will form a sauce over the flan. There will be hard sugar remaining in the bottom of the molds, do not attempt to scrape this out to add to the sauce. Serve and enjoy!

VANILLA FLAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• In a small heavy saucepan bring water and sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, without stirring, until golden caramel. Pour caramel into a 1 1/2-quart soufflé dish, tilting dish to coat bottom and some of side with caramel.
• In a large bowl whisk together eggs, condensed milk, skim milk, and vanilla until smooth. Pour mixture through a fine sieve into soufflé dish. Put dish in a baking pan and add enough hot water to pan to reach halfway up side of dish. Bake flan in middle of oven 1 1/4 hours, or until just set but still trembles slightly. (Flan will set as it cools.) Remove flan from pan and cool in dish on a rack. Chill flan, covered, until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.
• Dip dish in a baking pan of hot water 3 seconds. Run a thin knife around edge of dish and invert flan onto plate.

FLAN DE VANILLA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a small heavy saucepan, spread 3/4 cup sugar; cook, without stirring, over medium-low heat until it begins to melt. Gently drag melted sugar to center of pan so sugar melts evenly. Cook, without stirring, until melted sugar turns a medium amber color, about 5 minutes. Quickly pour into six ungreased 6-oz. custard cups., In a small saucepan, heat milk and cream until bubbles form around sides of pan; remove from heat. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, egg yolks, salt and remaining sugar until blended but not foamy. Slowly whisk in hot milk mixture. Stir in vanilla., Place custard cups in a baking pan large enough to hold them without touching. Pour egg mixture into cups. Place pan on oven rack; add very hot water to pan to within 1/2 in. of top of cups. Bake 35-40 minutes or until center is just set (mixture will jiggle). Remove cups from water bath immediately to a wire rack; cool 10 minutes. Refrigerate until cold., To unmold, run a knife around edges and invert onto individual rimmed dishes. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.

VANILLA FLAN

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar begins to melt. Using a pastry brush dipped in cold water, wash down the sides of the pan to eliminate sugar crystals. Cook, without stirring, until amber brown, about 25 minutes., Quickly pour into an ungreased 9-in. round baking pan, tilting to coat bottom of pan. Place pan in a large baking pan; let stand for 10 minutes., Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325°. In a blender, combine eggs, condensed milk, evaporated milk, and vanilla. Cover and process 1 minute or until well blended. Slowly pour into prepared baking pan., Add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan. Bake, uncovered, 35-40 minutes or until center is just set (mixture will jiggle). Remove baking pan from water bath; cool 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate overnight., To serve flan, run a knife around edge of pan; quickly invert onto a rimmed serving dish.