Kem Flan (Crème Caramel)

It has been flan fever in my kitchen since I got this new recipe. Thanks to Ha V who visited me recently.  After a big lunch, I served her my flan. She then shared a favorite of hers and said that everyone who's ever had it, loved it; she was not over-exaggerating. I like my original flan recipe but this one is even better.  The texture is silky smooth.  Even my girls agreed.  They were asking for more.  Though I did make some minor changes to the recipe for my own taste,  I am sure it wouldn't have made a difference.  

Flan is served cold and back in the old days - at least in Pleiku where I grew up - I recalled that flan was served with shaved ice to keep it cold.  Flan is delicate and decadent; it's usually served as a small and round cut.  I like to garnish flan with fruits such as blueberries, raspberries and strawberries to not only balance the flavor and sweetness of the caramel sauce, but also to bring out its beauty.

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RECIPE: FLAN

Printable Recipe

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Ingredients

make 7-8 flans

400 ml Milk (1 3/4 cups)

300 ml Heavy Whipping Creme (1 1/4 cups)

5 Egg Yolks

1 whole Egg

1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Powder

6 tablespoons Sugar

For Caramel Sauce

1/2 cup Sugar
1 tablespoon Espresso, optional

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Directions

Turn oven to 350 degree.  Make a water bath for flan by placing a baking tray in the middle rack of the oven and add boiling hot water to 2/3 of the tray.  

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Making Caramel Sauce

Cook sugar in a sauce pan over a moderate heat. Watch the sugar closely as it heats. As the sugar begins to melt and turn from a clear liquid to a golden brown color around the edges, use a spatula move the liquefied sugar gently from the edges of the saucepan to the center. Be careful not to over stir the caramel-the sugar may start to clump up before it has a chance to melt. Caramel is done when it is just past the smoking point, and it has a deep amber color. At this point, turn off the heat and add the espresso if you like the taste of it.

Immediately, spoon a couple teaspoons of caramel sauce into each ramekin.  Set aside.

Click here to buy ramekins.

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Preparing Eggs

In a bowl, add eggs and gently mix until it's well blended.  Set aside.

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Preparing Milk Mixture

In a pot combine milk, heavy whipping cream and sugar and cook until the milk mixture is warm and sugar is dissolved.

Turn off heat and let it cool down.  You might want to transfer it to another bowl to speed up the cooling process.  

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Preparing Flan Mixture

Once the milk mixture is cooled down, add eggs and vanilla powder. Gently mix until blended.

Use a strainer to strain the mixture to remove any egg shell or tiny pieces of egg white.

Pour mixture into ramekins.

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Baking Flan

Arrange the ramekins in the hot water bath.  Place a piece of foil loosely on top of the flan tray to prevent flan from burning.

Bake for about 50 minutes, depends on your oven and the size of the ramekin.  The flan is ready to be removed from the oven when the edges are set. Gently shake the ramekin, the center of the custard should jiggle slightly. You can also insert the tip of a toothpick into the custard near the center. If the flan is still liquid, it needs more time in the oven.  Remove from the water bath and let them cool down.

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Presentation

Keep flans cold in the fridge until serving.  Refrigerating the flan overnight is best.  When ready to eat, use a knife to loosen the edge by going around the ramekin before flipping it onto a plate.

Serve by it self or with a scoop of shaved ice placed on top of the flan.

As an extra, you can also add a half teaspoon of fresh coffee or espresso onto the flan for a more complex flavor.  

Bon Appeite!