In the not-so-distant past, eggs were given a bad reputation due to their high cholesterol content. More recently, however, nutritional science has determined that the type of cholesterol is also important, and though eggs contain some LDL (bad) cholesterol, they contain HDL (good cholesterol), which is linked to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Eggs are also packed with important nutrients like choline, vitamin D, B vitamins, zinc, and vitamin K, as well as lutein, which is important for ocular health, and lots of protein.
Bid April a sweet and custardy farewell with this recipe for Guanajuato Flan. The recipe was sent to CCSA as part of a series of emails from our resident chef, Dr. Linda Doody.
“It’s okay to play with your food.”
–Emeril Lagasse
Guanjajuato Flan
Gooey Desserts: The Joy of Decadence, Elaine Corn (1994)
Notes
Depending on where you are, flan may refer to an open sweet or savory tart (UK, France) or to an inverted custard dessert with a clear caramel sauce (US, Mexico, Italy, Spain, etc.). This recipe is for the firmer Mexican-style custard flan made with shelf-stable milk—sweetened condensed milk and/or evaporated milk. The author developed the recipe after enjoying the flan at the Hotel Santa Fe restaurant in Guanajuato, Mexico, which is baked in a tube pan and unmolded onto a large platter. Additional instructional detail is included from Classic Vanilla Flan from Mexico One Plate at a Time (2000) by Rick Bayless and A Primer on Custards from The Art and Soul of Baking (2008) by Cindy Mushet.
Ingredients
- Caramel
- 1 cup sugar (the original recipe actually specifies ¾ cup sugar and ¼ cup brown sugar, but using all white sugar makes it easier to gauge when the caramel is done)
- ⅓ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar (this is not in the original recipe, but the addition of acid helps prevent the caramel from crystallizing on the sides of the pan)
- Custard
- 1 5-ounce can evaporated milk (commercial evaporated milk is cow's milk that has been concentrated under high heat and pressure to remove 50% of the water. It is shelf stable without refrigeration and has a slightly caramel flavor)
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (commercial sweetened condensed milk is evaporated milk to which sugar has been added as a thickener and preservative. Gail Borden developed the process after seeing babies die after drinking milk from diseased cows)
- 1½ cups half-and-half or ¾ cup each whole milk and cream
- 5 eggs (whole eggs make a firmer custard; egg yolks contribute to a more delicate custard)
- 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Choose a tube pan, casserole, pie pan, or lidded flan mold (flanera) to make a single large flan to serve in wedges or multiple 6–8 ounce ramekins, soufflé dishes, or custard cups to make individual servings. Have a roasting pan ready to use for a water bath.
- Place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 300°F.
- Caramel
- In a small heavy saucepan, bring the sugar, water, and cream of tartar to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and boil without stirring until the syrup begins to turn golden, 3–5 minutes.
- Carefully start to gently swirl the pan over the heat until the syrup is a deep straw color. Remove the pan from the heat and continue swirling until the color is a rich amber. (Note: It may be necessary to do this more than once.) Quickly pour the caramel into the mold(s). Immediately tilt the mold(s) to evenly cover the bottom and partway up the sides with caramel. Leave molds at room temperature to harden.
- Custard
- Combine the milks in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla. Pour or ladle the custard mixture into the mold(s).
- Flan
- Put the filled mold(s) into the roasting pan and set on the oven rack. Carefully pour simmering water into the roasting pan (without splashing into the custard), letting it come two-thirds of the way up the sides of the mold(s). Cover the flan(s) with a piece of aluminum foil just large enough to fit inside the edges of the roasting pan (or place the lid on the flanera if using). This helps to prevent browning, especially in a convection oven, and makes the cooked flan easier to unmold. Carefully slide the rack back into the oven and bake for 90 minutes. A knife inserted into the center of the custard should come out clean. If not, continue baking another 8–10 minutes, checking again with a knife. When done, remove flan(s) from the water bath and cool at room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to completely firm the custard. To unmold, place each mold into hot tap water for a couple of minutes and then run a knife around the top edge(s). Place a plate on top of the flan and invert; after shaking up and down, the flan should slide out of the mold, with the caramel pooling around it. If not, run a knife a little further down the edge of the flan, being careful not to cut or gouge the custard. Serve cold, warm, or at room temperature.