Rich Mexican Custard Food

EASY FLAN RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Pour the sugar into a skillet over medium heat. Stir the sugar continually until it begins to brown and clump together. Keep stirring until the sugar completely melts and dissolves into a golden-brown syrup. Remove the syrup from the heat as soon as it has dissolves as it can burn.
• Working quickly, carefully pour the caramel into a 7-inch round pan or a special flan pan (flanera) as shown in the photos in the blog post. Pour the caramel evenly into the bottom of the pan so the entire bottom is coated. If you need to, use an oven mitt or potholders to move the pan from side to side to get the caramel evenly distributed. If the caramel hardens too quickly, you can carefully reheat the pan by placing it directly on the stove or on the skillet for a few seconds.
• Set the caramel-coated pan aside to cool and harden.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, sweetened condensed milk, whole milk and vanilla extract. Whisk together until everything is fully combined, but try not to overwhisk so that there aren't too many air bubbles in the mixture.
• Pour the custard mixture into the caramel-coated pan. Cover the top of the pan with the lid (if using a flanera) or tightly with aluminum foil.
• Place the flan pan in a large baking dish and pour enough water in the dish until it reaches about halfway up the pan. Carefully place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Carefully remove the dish from the oven, and then lift the flan pan out of the water bath. Remove the lid or aluminum foil and let it cool to room temperature. The flan may still be a little jiggly, but that's okay - it will continue to cook with the residual heat.
• Once it's cooled, cover with the lid or aluminum foil and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
• To serve, remove the lid or aluminum foil and slide a knife along the edges of the pan to loosen it up. Place a plate or platter on top of the flan, grab a hold of both the plate and the pan and quickly and securely flip it over so that the flan is now upside down. Carefully lift off the flan pan. Your flan should be sitting in the caramel on the plate, ready to enjoy!
• Carefully lift the flan pan up. The flan should be on the plate - if it's not, place the pan back down and let it sit for a few minutes. Don't freak out! It will loosen up and slide out. You could try tapping the sides of the pan a bit or even giving the sides a squeeze.
• Slice the flan and serve with the rich caramel sauce!

RICH MEXICAN CUSTARD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Beat together eggs & cream cheese until very well combined. Add brown sugar through salt & beat until very well combined. Add milk & combine thoroughly.
• Pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the mini chocolate bits.
• Place in a larger dish & add water to a depth of 1/2 way up the sides of the dish with the custard.
• Bake for 30 minutes. It's ok if it's a little wobbly in the center. Depending on your oven, it may take a few minutes more (5-10).

MEXICAN FLAN (BAKED CARAMEL CUSTARD)

Steps:

• Heat 1/2 cup sugar in a heavy skillet or saucepan, stirring constantly until it melts and turns a dark golden color.
• Remove from heat and immediately pour into a 4 1/2 cup metal ring mold, swish it around so it evenly coats the bottom of the ring mold.
• In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs.
• Stir in milk,1/2 cup sugar, vanilla and orange peel.
• Place caramel coated ring mold in another pan and place on an oven rack.
• Pour egg mixture into the ring mold and pour the hottest tap water possible around the ring mold to a depth of 1 inch.
• Bake at 325Ffor close to l hour or until a knife comes out clean.
• Cool flan on a wire rack, Chill for at least 3 1/2 hours.
• To unmold the flan loosen edges with a spatula, slip spatula down the sides to let air in.
• Place the serving platter over the mold and flip to allow the flan to slip onto the platter.
• Spoon the caramel that may remain in the mold on top of the flan.
• Pile sliced fruit in the center and serve.

RICH BAKED CUSTARD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly, being careful to avoid incorporating too much air.
• Divide custard between 6 ramekins. Place ramekins in a roasting pan. Place roasting pan on oven rack; pour hot water around ramekins until 1" deep. Slide rack into oven.
• Bake 45 min, or until custards are set, but the center still jiggles slightly, and the tip of a knife comes out clean when inserted into the center.
• Serve warm or cold.

HOMEMADE CUSTARD

Steps:

• Put the cream and milk into a large pan and gently bring to just below boiling point. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the yolks, cornflour, sugar and vanilla. Gradually pour the hot milk mixture onto the sugar mixture, whisking constantly.
• Wipe out the saucepan and pour the mixture back into it. Heat gently, stirring with a wooden spoon (see Steps 1 and 2, for stirring tips) until the custard is thickened, but before any lumps form. Eat hot or cold.

RICH CUSTARD

Steps:

• Whisk together 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Whisk in 1/4 cup milk until smooth, then stir in remaining milk and zest. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking frequently.
• Have ready a bowl filled with ice and cold water. Whisk together yolks and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture, then transfer custard to saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture registers 170°F on an instant-read thermometer, 3 to 4 minutes. (Do not boil.)
• Immediately pour custard through a fine sieve into a metal bowl set in ice water. Stir in vanilla. Cool, stirring frequently.

CLASSIC MEXICAN FLAN - CUSTARD WITH CARAMEL TOPPING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Melt 1/2 cup sugar in small saucepan over medium heat, swirling pan occasionally, until sugar becomes amber in color, 10 minutes (do not stir).
• Pour caramel into the bottom of a 5-cup souffle dish.
• Bring milk, cream, remaining 3/4 cup sugar and cinnamon stick to boil in small saucepan over medium heat.
• Remove from heat; cover and let stand 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, vanilla and salt in large bowl.
• Strain milk mixture through a sieve into eggs; whisk to combine.
• Discard cinnamon stick.
• Strain mixture again into prepared dish.
• Place dish in a roasting pan, making sure there is at least one inch of space between the edge of the dish and pan.
• Add enough hot water to roasting pan to come halfway up side of dish.
• Bake until custard is just set, 60 to 65 minutes (mixture will jiggle slightly, but that's okay).
• Remove flan from oven.
• Let flan cool in hot-water bath 15 minutes.
• Remove dish from water bath and cool completely on wire rack.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• To serve:.
• Run a knife around edge of baking dish.
• Place a serving plate slightly larger than dish on top.
• Invert flan onto plate. Makes 8 servings. Makes a luxurious finale to your favorite Mexican meal!