MEXICAN FLAN

Contributed By: Kay Davis

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
6 egg yolks (room temperature)
2 whole eggs (room temperature)
24 ounces evaporated milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoonsMexican vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the 1 cup sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and caramelize over medium heat At first, swirl the pan over the heat, but do not stir (this will cause
it to clump). After about 8 minutes, when the sugar has begun to liquefy, stir with a heavy spoon. When the caramel turns light brown, quickly (and carefully
burns are painful) pour into a 2-quart, high-sided metal flan mold. Tip pan so caramel coats the bottom and up sides of mold. Work fast; caramel hardens
quickly.

Using a whisk, beat together the egg yolks, eggs, evaporated milk, sugar and vanilla. Mixture should be well-blended but not frothy. Pour into the caramelized
mold. Cover with the flan mold lid and secure with clips. (this prevents the top from overcooking). Place the mold in a larger pan (such as a roasting
pan) and pour in about 1 1/2 inches of hot water.

Place on the bottom rack of the preheated oven and bake for approximately 65 minutes. After 55 minutes, open the oven door and test the flan by inserting
the thinnest knife you own into the middle of the flan. Do not go all the way to the bottom. If large curds cling to the knife the flan is not yet done.
Give it about 10 minutes longer. If just a film of custard clings to the knife, the flan is done. When you jiggle the mold, the custard should shimmer
in the middle but look cooked around the edge.

Remove from oven and cool mold on a rack. The flan will continue to cook for about an hour after being removed from the oven. During this time it will set
up. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before unmolding.

Unmold
Run a thin, sharp knife around the edge of the flan. Move the pan from side to side to see if the flan is slipping and free from the edges of the pan. Place
a flat serving platter with a raised rim on top of the mold. Holding the platter and mold together tightly, flip them over. The flan should slip easily
onto the platter, along with most of the caramel sauce. Use a spoon to remove more caramel and spoon it around the custard. The bottom of the pan will
have a hard layer of caramel still on it.

Serve
Cut flan into wedges spooning caramel sauce over each slice.

Mexican Vanilla
Vanilla is the most popular flavoring in the world and it originated in Mexico. This Mexican import is made only from Vanilla from Veracruz, Mexico and
is U.S. approved and certified to be courmarin free. This small production manufacturer sells primarily to gourmet and specialty stores in Mexico.

Helpful Hints:

a recipe by Jacquiline Higuera McMahan, San Francisco Chronicle, September, 2003


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