This is my recipe, which slices like a cake and melts in your mouth the minute you take a bite. I hope you enjoy it as much as my friends do. The image in this post is from the one I baked for a recent gathering.
Goal:
After years of experimenting, I concluded that to have it slice like a cake and melt in one’s mouth I needed to slowly emulsify all the ingredients during its preparation. I also discovered that this is best achieved by having all the ingredients at room temperature.
Baking Method:
Turn the oven on to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
One also needs to bake the custard while submerged in a bath of water that has just been brought to boiling. We call this Baño María.
To prepare this bath, bring a large pot of water to boil and then place the pot with the Flan custard mix inside of this pot. I use a 3-quart pot with handles for the custard and a 6-quart pot with handles for the hot water, with one easily fitting inside the other.
The easiest way to know how much water to boil is to fill the small pot with water and place it inside the large pot. Then fill the large pot up to the line where the custard mixture would end in the small pot (about two inches from the top). Never have the water come to the top of the small pot or the water will boil into the custard during baking.
Ingredients:
Custard:
1 dozen large organic Brown Eggs
2-14 Oz. cans Condensed Whole Milk – Try La Lechera brand
1-12 Oz. can Evaporated Whole Milk
3 cups of Whole Milk
1/4 Teaspoon of Orange Extract – Try Nielsen-Massey Pure Orange Extract
1/2 Teaspoon of Cinnamon – Try Whole Foods Vietnamese Cinnamon
3 Tablespoons of French Vanilla – Try Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Pure Vanilla Extract
Hint:
Note that some cinnamons are too peppery and will change the flavor. The idea is to create a custard where one is not uniquely aware of each ingredient.
Custard Variations:
Lemon Twist
Replace Orange Extract with 1/4 teaspoon Lemon Extract and increase Cinnamon to ½ teaspoon.
Holiday Delight
Replace one cup of whole milk with one 15 ounce can of Pumpkin used in pies.
Add ¼ teaspoon of Nutmeg and just a pinch of Ground Ginger.
Exclude the Orange Extract.
Caramel:
1 1/2 cup of White Organic Cane Sugar (make sure package says Extra Fine or similar term)
1/2 Teaspoon of Orange Extract (as per above brand)
1 Teaspoon of Vanilla (as per above brand)
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon (as per above brand)
1/8 cup of water
For Holiday Delight, eliminate the Orange Extract.
Making Caramel:
Mix the Cinnamon into the water and bring to boil
Remove from store, add Vanilla and Orange extracts and mix well
Add sugar
Cook at medium high temperature, stirring constantly until the sugar starts to melt
Note that sugar gets hard and dry looking before it starts to liquefy
Once fully melted, look for a medium Amber color and then take off the stove
Will know it is ready when spooning the mixture on side of pot starts to stick
Run cold water on the outside of pot while turning and spreading the Caramel on the sides to the top of the pot. This will stop the cooking process
Place in refrigerator for ½ hour to cool off before filling
Hints:
Sugar will continue to cook and therefore turn darker after removing form stove, thus the reason for placing against a faucet to stop the process. Remember that if it gets too dark, then it will turn bitter and cannot be used.
The trick is to make it as dark as possible, while preventing this from happening. If not sure, error on the side of safety by making it lighter.
I usually drop some into parchment paper, let it cool off and taste it. If it is too bitter, then I start again.
Caramel is always best when it has a hint of bitterness to is.
To clean the pot, fill it with hot water and bring to a boil until the hard-caramel dissolves.
Caution:
Burning sugar can spit and spatter. Please wear protective eye gear or glasses
Making Custard Mix:
Hint:
Always use a wooden spoon.
Method:
Add the Cinnamon to 1/2 cup of milk and microwave until boiling then add Vanilla and Orange extract, stir well and set aside
Pour the two cans of condensed milk into alage bowl
Crack all eggs into a bowl and use an egg whisk just to break up the yolks and combine well
Do not use a mixer or beat the eggs
Pour Cinnamon, Vanilla and Orange milk into the eggs and fold until fully blended
Pour eggs through a strainer a third at a time into the condensed milk and blend well before repeating the process
Add Evaporated milk a little at a time and fold until fully integrated
Add remaining 2 1/2 whole milk about ¼ cup at a time until the consistency of heavy eggnog
If you taste it, it will seem not sweet enough – Do not add any more Sugar
Caution:
Do not add any salt
Cooking Instructions:
Lower oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit - If it runs cool, set to 360
Gently still custard mixture again
Pour mixture through a strainer into the pot containing the Caramel coating
Seal very well with aluminum foil
Place inside the large pot of boiling water
Bake for 1 ½ to 2 hours, depending on the oven, it may need less or more time
It is done when a thin knife comes out dry from the center
Remove from oven and the water bath, remove the aluminum foil cover and let it cool off for about ½ hour before refrigerating
Ensure that refrigerator is not too cold - Below a certain temperature, moisture will come out and custard will be lumpy rather than firm
Must be refrigerated overnight to ensure it is completely cooled off or it will fall apart when flipping out of the pot
Serving Method:
Run hot water on the outside of the pot for just a minute or so.
Note that it you do this too long then the edges of the custard will not come out smooth.
Alternatively, take a small thin knife and run along the walls, being careful not to cut the custard.
Place a large platter with a rim to hold the caramel on top of pot and flip very quickly, lifting the pot up carefully. This may take some effort but do it very slowly. Flan is delicate.
Scrape the bottom of the pot to get all the caramel and pour it over the Flan. If some of it has hardened, then run it under hot water to liquify it.
Use mint leaves, an orange peel ribbon and Vanilla beams for garnish.
Komentáře