eVALve

Here is a delicious (and cheap) flan recipe.  Make it for your next pot-luck.  You’re welcome.

*This is a family recipe that is quite famous:  it is a typical Sunday family dinner dessert.  Make it on Saturday night for Sunday dinner.

Ingredients

3/4 c. sugar, 3 eggs, 1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk, 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk, 2 tsp. vanilla

Materials
Glass mixing bowl, ≈9 inch metal pan (for flan mold, any shape), whisk/fork, large basting pan (for water bath), large pot, big metal spatula

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Fill large pot with water to boil.  Once water is boiling, proceed with step 3.
3. Mix eggs, milks, and vanilla in glass bowl (glass works better for all the fat).  Set aside.
4. Pour sugar into the metal flan pan.  Put on stove stop on high heat.  Whisk CONSTANTLY.  Sugar will clump like rock candy, then melt, then turn to an amber color.  Once it is amber, make sure that all the sugar is dissolved and the color is homogenous.  This makes a huge difference in presentation and taste.  Remove QUICKLY from heat to prevent burning.
5. Pour the boiling water into the basting pan in the oven.
6. Swirl the carmelized sugar to coat the sides of the pan.  This will make the edges of the flan perfect and make it easy to remove later.
7. Quickly re-whisk the custard mixture and pour into the metal pan.  The thickness should be 1-2 inches.
8. Drop the flan into the water bath.  Some of it will spill out.  Who cares!  The water level should be as close to the top of the pan as possible, but at least 60% of the height.
9. Bake for 45 minutes.  The flan will look uncooked.  Do not be fooled.  Take it out using a large spatula as a lever.
10. Leave at room temperature until cool enough to refrigerate.  Then refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is ideal).
11. Loosen edges with a butter knife (will be easy if the sugar is well coated).  Put serving dish on top and invert the pan.  The flan will fall out evenly.  Do not play with it or your flan will crack.

Make sure your serving dish has a bit of a lip because the caramel with pour out everywhere!  Serve with fresh berries and/or cream.