Mexican Flan

Flan is one of those things that, on the surface of it, seems like it would be hard to make – but in reality, it’s very easy!  My recipe is a compilation of several print and online recipes that I’ve perfected over the years.   Let’s start out by talking about what flan is: at its most basic, it’s a Mexican custard,   borrowed from Spanish custard – and virtually every region has its own version of this delicious dessert, crème brûlée probably being the most   widely known.  One of the differences   between flan and crème brûlée is that flan has the caramel topping already in place when it’s baking – crème brûlée has a sugar topping that is caramelized   with a propane torch just before serving.  I opt for flan – because I’m not allowed to use a torch inside the house when my wife isn’t at home.  It’s a long story, but a good one…   Another nice thing about this flan is you can make it in several different flavor   configurations – if you like lime, use a bit of frozen limeade concentrate and some lime zest.  Same idea if you like lemon or orange.   Prep notes   aren’t too lengthy (I hope) – I   recommend using C&H® Baker’s Sugar for melting – its superfine   granules melt much faster and more fully than standard granulated sugar.  Stir it constantly with a whisk, and watch that you don’t use too much heat – it will liquefy to the consistency of   water, and when you get a light to medium amber color, you’re done. I don’t have a special flan mold, so I use a glass pie pan with very good results.  You should do the same.  The pie pan sits inside a larger pan filled   with about an inch of boiling water – for the larger pan, I use a disposable   aluminum lasagna pan – you can also use an oven-safe skillet just as   well.  Just make sure that when you add the water before baking, it’s at a full rolling boil when you take it off the stove top. You can use a mixer at high speed for mixing, but I prefer a blender – it’s quicker and   doesn’t splash all over the counter.  My Ninja® knocks it out in less than a minute. You’re making the flan upside-down, of course – just before serving, run a thin knife around the inside of the pan to loosen.    Then place a plate over the pan and flip the whole works over.  There you have it – a right-side-up hunk ‘o’ flan with the caramel on top!   Have fun with this one, guys…
1-1/4 cup	Granulated sugar
1 cup	Whole milk
1-1/4 cup	Heavy cream
1 14 oz. can	Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed   Milk
3	Whole large eggs
4	Egg yolks
3 Tbs	Pure vanilla extract
1 Tbs	Cornstarch
1	Vanilla bean (optional)
In a medium pan over medium heat, heat   sugar, stirring constantly with a whisk, until just melted and it turns a light amber color (usually about 8 minutes).  Pour melted sugar into pie pan or flan mold.  Allow to cool till just slightly warm. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°, and start   a pan of water heating to a boil. Add milk, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, egg yolks, vanilla extract, and cornstarch to blender; pulse until well-blended.  If using vanilla bean,   slice it lengthwise, scrape out seeds, and add seeds to mixture.  Reserve scraped-out bean for top garnish on the finished product.  Add heavy cream,   and pulse only until incorporated into mixture. Pour into pie pan. Carefully lift filled pie pan into a larger skillet or container; place on center rack of oven and carefully pour in   boiling water until it comes up halfway on the side of the pie pan.  Take care not to splash any water into your   flan mixture! Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until top (actually the bottom) of flan is a very light golden brown.  The flan should   still be wiggly and jiggly at this point.  Remove from oven, and allow to cool on a cooling rack until barely warm.  Transfer pan to the fridge and   chill until thoroughly cold, about 4 hours. To plate the flan, run a thin sharp knife around the perimeter of the flan to loosen. Cover with a plate and flip   over.  The flan will come out onto the serving plate, and the gooey caramel syrup will cover the top and sides.  Slice in generous pieces, and serve.  Flan will stay fresh in the refrigerator   for 3-4 days if covered with plastic wrap.    Don’t attempt to freeze it – it doesn’t work.