Caramel Flan
Caramel flan is a baked custard dessert built on the interplay between smooth egg custard and bittersweet caramel. Sugar is cooked in a dry pan until it reaches a deep amber, then poured into the bottom of a mold where it hardens into a glassy layer. The custard - eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla - is poured on top and the whole assembly bakes in a water bath at gentle heat to prevent curdling. The slow, even cooking produces a texture that is perfectly smooth, without bubbles or grainy patches. Once chilled and unmolded, the caramel reliquefies into a flowing sauce that coats the pale custard in amber streaks. The flavor is a study in contrasts: the custard is milky and gently sweet, while the caramel adds a roasted, slightly bitter edge that prevents the dish from becoming cloying. It is served cold, and the clean wobble of a well-set flan is a point of pride.
Adjust Servings
Instructions
- 1
Cook part of the sugar with water into caramel and pour into the mold.
- 2
Warm milk and dissolve the remaining sugar.
- 3
Whisk eggs and yolks, then temper gradually with warm milk.
- 4
Add vanilla, strain, and pour into the caramel-lined mold.
- 5
Bake in a water bath at 150C for 40-45 minutes.
- 6
Cool and chill well, then unmold by loosening edges and inverting.
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