Servings: | Prep Time: | Total Time: | ||
6 | 25 mins | 1 hr 10 mins |
I have countless memories of birthday parties from my childhood in Venezuela. The most memorable ones are those where a sweet, creamy, caramel-drenched slice of Flan was present. There was no birthday party (and probably still isn't) without what I call a trifecta: the Birthday Cake, Jello, and Flan. Those three were inseparable, to the point that missing one or the other was a big disappointment for the guests, no matter how good the party was. For many, including myself, the Flan (or Quesillo for Venezuela and The Canary Islands) was the actual star of the show, not the Cake, with its colorful paraphernalia, not the jiggling and refreshing Jello, but the Flan: a silky soft slice of sweet custardy eggs, swimming in a bath of caramel, melting in your mouth, leaving you longing for more and more.
The story behind the origins of The Flan can be traced back to Ancient Rome when a surplus of eggs pushed people to cook and transform them into custardy dishes that evolved into different styles. Flan made its way to the rest of Europe and therefore to Latin American cuisine through colonization and immigration.
This easy, creamy coffee flan/quesillo with caramel has only one downside, which, if you think about the reward, is not that big of a deal: it takes time. Preparation and cooking are easy, but your patience might be proven because this creamy delicacy needs to be enjoyed cold, preferably the following day. So, make it ahead of time, it can stay in the fridge for a few days. (Unless it's my fridge, with me and my boys around, it would only last a few hours)
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This easy Flan recipe is divided into 4 steps:
1.- Caramel sauce prepping.
2.- Flan ingredients mix.
3.- Cooking in water bath.
4.- Chill, preferably overnight.
You also need:
7 inches Flan mold.https://amzn.to/4bCj0MH
3 Organic eggs.
Bourbon or Rum (this is optional, most of the alcohol will evaporate while cooking, what we want is those deep flavors from the Spirits).
Deep baking dish or roasting pan for the water bath.
Baking Sheets Set of 2. https://amzn.to/461aLIZ
Blender https://amzn.to/4cVht5o
Kettle for boiling water (makes things easier). https://amzn.to/3xF9cE4
Ingredients:
Ingredients for the caramel sauce:
1 cup of brown sugar.
Measuring Cups https://amzn.to/4cTSqjs
1/3 cup of unsweetened brewed coffee (this is for a Coffee Flan, if you want to make it classic, use water instead.
Directions:
1.- Mix everything in a saucepan, sugar first. https://amzn.to/4cBsJEp
Put the pan over medium-high heat, and gently stir the mix. https://amzn.to/3XYqRBd
Once it starts boiling, lower the temperature a little bit. In about 10-12 minutes, it should start bubbling and thickening indicating it is done. Quickly but carefully, pour the caramel into the Flan mold and gently brush the sides. https://amzn.to/4eVxRVA
2.- The next step should be performed by an adult, hot caramel burns are excruciating (first-hand experience) Move the caramel around the edges of the mold, trying to cover as much as possible. The sauce will soon start to harden.
3.- After making the caramel, and while it is cooling:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Get the deep baking dish or roasting pan ready.
Put a kettle of water to boil.
Ingredients for the Flan:
3 Big Organic Eggs, you may wonder, Why organic eggs? What's up with the fanciness. Well, after making Flan multiple times, I noticed that the real secret to creaminess is organic fresh eggs. If you don’t have those, add 1 extra yolk.
1 can (14 Oz) of Sweet Condensed Milk
1 can (12 OZ) of Evaporated Milk
1 tbsp. of Bourbon or Rum
1 tsp. of Vanilla Extract
1 Pinch of salt
Directions:
1.- Crack the eggs into a bowl https://amzn.to/45Xn6hq to avoid shells, pour them into a blender, add the rest of the ingredients, and blend until smooth for about 12 seconds.
2.- Gently, pour the mix into the flan mold with the caramel, it should not be too hot anymore. The Flan mold comes with a secure top, but I like to be extra careful, so I cover the top with aluminum foil and then close the top and lash it tight. To me, this step is more important than avoiding bubble formation, it won't be good for the Flan to get wet.
3.- Put the mold with the mix inside the pan or dish, and into the oven. Pour hot water into the pan to about halfway up the height of the mold. Cook Flan in the water bath for about 50 minutes.
4.- Cool on a cooling rack for a couple of hours before transferring to the fridge. It needs a few hours of chill to be at its best, I recommend you wait until the next day. Cooling time will also help to de-mold.
5.- My face when I know there is a flan chilling in the fridge…
6.- To de-mold: open the lid, run a thin knife around the edges of the mold, and gently move it around. https://amzn.to/4bTpgQF
Top the mold with a flat dish, and quickly invert it. https://amzn.to/4cPzqTH
Take your time for this step, it sounds and feels scary, but it is very simple, just make sure the flan is not stuck to the mold. A good sign is the caramel coming to the surface and the flan floating inside the mold.
7.- Slice and serve, do not forget to pour some caramel sauce on top.
Porcelain Small Dessert Plates https://amzn.to/4eVygHA
Serving a generous slice of this easy to make, creamy Coffee Flan with tons of caramel sauce
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