Flan

PREPARATION

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

• Place an 8-inch round aluminum cake pan on a burner on the stovetop. Add the sugar and cook over medium-high heat until the sugar caramelizes to a medium brown color.* Set aside to cool on a wire rack.

• In a large blender, add the condensed milk, evaporated milk, eggs and vanilla. Pulse on blend mode until the ingredients are well-mixed and the eggs are well-incorporated.

• Pour the milk and egg mixture over the cooled caramelized sugar. The sugar should be completely cool and crystalline.

• Cover the cake pan with aluminum foil pressed tightly over the edge. Place the cake pan inside a larger glass baking dish. Fill the dish with cool water, 1/2 to 2/3 up the side of the cake pan.

• Place both pans in the oven and bake 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Check the flan at 1 hour, then every 10 minutes until the flan is firm in the center. It should not be liquid when you shake the pan gently. Remove from the oven.

• Remove the foil from the cake pan. Cool the flan on a wire rack until completely cooled. Place a larger plate over the cake pan and invert the flan. The caramel will flow over the sides of the cake and pool on the plate. Cut and serve.

* If desired, flavorings can be added to the sugar as it caramelizes. Coffee, Grand Marnier and chocolate are traditional variations.