Flan

Basic Flan:
6 large eggs
1 (12-ounce) can low-fat evaporated milk
1 (14-ounce) can low-fat or fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup sugar

Pumpkin Flan:
Same ingredients as above
Substitute 4 large eggs instead of 6
1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree (such as Libby's)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

There is nothing my mom makes better, in my opinion, than her flan. This is one of those recipes that has been passed down and is almost a family heirloom. (Here’s where the osmosis comes in.) It’s amazing how one dessert can mean so much and bring forth so many memories. That’s what I love about certain foods: they take you on a journey to a place and time, or even just allow you to feel the comforts of home. 

Back to the flan: This is truly one of the easiest desserts I make, but the trick is caramelizing the sugar just right. Don’t be intimidated by using a double boiler or baking using a water bath; it’s beyond simple once you’ve tried it. I’ve “skinnied” this recipe up a bit, using low-fat sweetened condensed milk or low-fat evaporated milk – and I honestly can’t tell the difference. Once you’ve mastered the original, you’ll find it’s a forgiving recipe. But the recipe will work using the full-fat versions, if you prefer. Try the coconut variation, or for the holidays, try my pumpkin version – or experiment by adding mango puree for a tropical flan, or chocolate for a winter flan. You can’t go wrong. 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Fill a roasting pan one-quarter of the way with water and set it in the oven.
2. In a blender, combine the eggs, evaporated and condensed milks, and vanilla. Blend until smooth and set aside.
3. Scoop the sugar into a small saucepan. Over very low heat, slowly caramelize the sugar. This is the hardest part of the recipe because the key is not to let the sugar burn or get too dark. The pan can be directly over the heat, but it gets very, very hot, so use a potholder. Using a wooden spoon, work the sugar around the pan until it starts to liquefy. Remove from the heat as soon as the sugar starts to turns a light caramel color.
4. Immediately pour the caramelized sugar into a round glass baking dish, such as a 9-inch Pyrex pie dish. Tilt the dish to coat the bottom and sides with the caramel.
5. Pour the custard mixture into the caramel-coated dish. Place it in the water-filled roasting pan in the oven.
6. Bake for about 45 minutes, but as ovens can vary, start checking for doneness after 30 minutes. The flan is cooked through when the top pulls from the sides of the baking dish a bit or when the top is firm and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
8. To serve, take a large dessert platter and place it over the baking dish as if it were a lid. Do this over the sink to ensure no spillage. Quickly flip the pan and the platter together. The flan should come out of the baking dish perfectly, topped with a beautiful caramel glaze. Enjoy!

Double Boiler Method

1. In a blender, combine the eggs, evaporated and condensed milks, and vanilla. Blend until smooth and set aside.
2. Fill the bottom of a double boiler about a quarter of the way full with water and set over medium heat.
3. Scoop the sugar into the top of the double boiler. Over a very low flame or low heat, slowly caramelize the sugar as directed in Step 3.
4. Coat all sides of the double boiler top with the caramel by rotating the pan in a circular motion.
5. Pour the custard mixture into the caramel-coated pan. Set it over the bottom of the double boiler.
6. Cook for about 45 minutes, but check the water level in the base every 15 minutes or so to ensure it’s always about one-quarter full. The flan is cooked through when the top pulls from the sides of the pan a bit or when the top is firm and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Set aside to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
8. To serve, take a large dessert platter and place it over the top of the double-boiler top as if it were a lid. Do this over the sink to ensure no spillage. Quickly flip the pan and the platter together. The flan should come out of the mold perfectly topped with a beautiful caramel glaze.