Flan Recipes
By: Gigi Howe
Happy May! I’m posting this recipe today in honor of Cinco de Mayo. Last year, we posted a recipe for Crock Pot Mexican Soup, which is more of a meal than a soup and we have a Mexican Tortilla Pie which would be tasty to make on May 5 but what is for dessert!? We are solving that problem by posting a dessert to go along with the soup or the pie, if you decide to make one!
Today we have a recipe for flan. Actually, I am sharing two flan recipes. They are very similar, except for the calories!! One is definitely richer – it has cream cheese, condensed and evaporated milk. The other uses regular milk. Both are good. One will fill you up faster. There are many different flan recipes out there and I am sure if you did a search you would find one that fits somewhere in between these two recipes.
Both recipes have you caramelize sugar which is really simple. You put sugar into a sauce pan and melt it. You don’t stir the sugar, just shake the pan around until its all melted and once it starts to melt, it goes pretty quickly. You can use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape the sugar off the sides of the pan. The sugar will turn into a nice caramel color.
As soon as the sugar melts you need to pour it into your baking dish. This becomes the sauce when its time to invert your flan. Just a tip.. soak the pan you used in hot water and the hardened sugar will dissolve for an easy clean up!
Once your Flan is ready to serve you can top it with fruit.. blueberries or strawberries are nice, or you can serve it plain. Let me know if you try one of these recipes!
Creamy Flan
Ingredients:
– 3/4 cup sugar
– 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
– 12 oz. can evaporated milk
– 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
– 5 eggs
– 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Caramelize the sugar. In a saucepan melt sugar over a medium heat. Do not stir sugar, shake the pan. Once the sugar starts to melt, reduce heat to low and cook until completely melted and golden brown.
2. Immediately pour the caramelized sugar into a ungreased 2 quart round baking dish or souffle dish, tilting the pan to coat the bottom. Let cool for 5 -10 mins.
3. Meanwhile in a bowl, beat cream cheese, condensed milk and evaporated milk until smooth. Beat in vanilla and eggs until the eggs are blended in. Pour over caramelized sugar.
4. Place dish into a larger baking pan. Pour very hot to boiling water into the pan around the dish to a depth of approximately 1 inch. This hot water bath will help to keep your flan creamy. It helps to even out the heat. Bake in 350 oven for 55-60 mins, until center is set – it will be somewhat jiggly. A knife inserted halfway between the center and edge should come out clean.
5. Carefully remove the dish from the hot water bath and let cool on a wire rack. Once cool, cover and refrigerate overnight.
6. To unmold the flan, gently loosen edges with a knife or spatula. Invert onto a large rimmed platter. Spoon caramelized sugar that remains in the baking dish on top of the flan. Garnish with blueberries, strawberries, if desired.
Flan (lower calorie)
– 1 3/4 cups sugar (separated)
– 8 eggs
– 4 cups milk
– 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Directions:
1. Caramelize the sugar. In a saucepan melt 3/4 cup of sugar over a medium heat. Do not stir sugar, shake the pan. Once the sugar starts to melt, reduce heat to low and cook until completely melted and golden brown.
2. Immediately pour the caramelized sugar into a ungreased shallow 3 quart oval casserole. Tilt and rotate the pan to coat the bottom and sides evenly. Let cool for 5 -10 mins.
3. Meanwhile in a bowl, beat eggs gradually adding the remaining 1 cup of sugar. In a saucepan heat milk until mixture bubbles. Slowly add milk to egg mixture, stirring constantly. Stir in vanilla. Pour over caramelized sugar.
4. Place dish into a larger baking pan. Pour in very hot to boiling water into the pan around the dish to a depth of approximately 1 inch. This hot water bath will help to keep your flan creamy. It helps to even out the heat. Bake in 325 oven for 40 mins or until a knife inserted halfway between the center and edge should come out clean.
5. Carefully remove the dish from the hot water bath and let cool on a wire rack. Once cool, cover and refrigerate overnight.
6. To unmold the flan, gently loosen edges with a knife or spatula. Invert onto a large rimmed platter. Spoon caramelized sugar that remains in the baking dish on top of the flan. Garnish with blueberries, strawberries, if desired.
Enjoy!!
Printable Recipe:
