How to Make Flan

I do not have a sweet tooth very often, but there is this one dessert that I can never say no to which is called flan. Flan is a creamy custard Mexican dessert that was served on special occasions in my family. Whenever I saw this in my fridge ready to be served for dinner, I knew it was going to be a good day! A close family friend taught me how to make this yummy treat, and I was thrilled to share this. It may seem like a challenge, but it is all worth it at the end.

Ingredients

2 cups of sugar

1 can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 can of Evaporated Milk

2 cups of Heavy Whipping Cream

2 tablespoons of Vanilla Extract

5 eggs

Dishes Needed

Large Skillet pan

Measuring cups

Blender

Silicon or wood Spatula

Bundt cake tray

Large Bowl

Strainer

Large baking pan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Set the large skillet pan on your stoves medium heat setting. Pour the two cups of sugar on the pan, and stir continuously with the silicon or wooden untensil. Try to avoid using a medal utensil because with all the stirring it can lead to burns on your hand. The sugar will turn into a brown and caramelized texture.

3. Spray some non stick cooking spray all over the pan and pour the melted sugar into the pan.

4. Set up your blender and pour the:

• 1 can of Condensed Milk
• 1 can of Evaporated Milk
• 2 cups of Heavy Whipping Cream
• 2 tablespoons of Vanilla Extract
• 5 eggs

I used a Ninja blender, so I blended the ingredients for 2 minutes on the lowest speed. Depending on your blender you may want to adjust the times or speeds.

5. Pour the blended ingredients through the strainer into the large bowl. This method is used for avoiding any air bubbles forming and getting a smooth consistency.

6. Insert the blended ingredients into the bundt cake pan. It should be on top of the caramalized sugar. Then cover foil on the top of the pan.

7. This next step is called “Baño Maria” which means water heat bath for the flan. Take the large baking pan and put your flan covered pan inside. Then, pour about two inches of water into the large baking pan. The flan should be on top of the water bath. This is important because this helps the flan bake in the oven to get a smooth surface.

8. Put the trays in the oven and let the flan cook for one hour and ten minutes. Times can vary depending on time of oven.

9. When the time is done, remove the flan pan from the water bath and let it cool. Once it is cool, get a circular cooking sheet and flip the flan over. The bundt cake pan should easily slide off of the flan.

10. Put the flan in the fridge for minimum of four hours. I personally prefer to leave it overnight because it gets more firm and does not fall apart easily. The texture is also more of a creamy consistency when it falls apart in the mouth.

11. Take the flan out and cut a piece of this delicious dessert. It feels like cloud of sweetness all in your mouth!

Tips While Making Flan

• Make sure you prepare this with time. If you plan to make this for a gathering, cook it within a day in advance.
• For the sweetened condensed milk, I love to use the brand Nestle La Lechera. The flavor is immaculate, and I could probably drink it straight out of the can. It reminds me of my childhood. If you do not know what brand to get, try this one!
• While stirring the sugar make sure there are no balls of sugar being clumped together. It can be behind on the melting process, and potentially lead to burning the whole melted sugar pan.
• Flan is a tedious dessert to make. Practice makes perfect, you will be a professional on making flan in no time.