Leche Flan (Caramel Custard)

So it's has been some time now since I posted on this blog. Sorry about that just been busy with other things. I' am still baking (I mean who can quit that right?!) and I will be posting some delicious desserts for you all. Easter is coming and of course you know I'm going be making a carrot cake! Oh Yay! Can't wait for that and of course I will be posting that up too! 

Where do I start?...Oh! 

I have been a custard fan since I was a kid.  My mother used to take my sister and brothers to this Spanish bakery where I used to live in the Bronx. They had all kinds of the desserts from cakes, puddings to cookies and donuts. But I wanted none of those so I picked the flan. As a kid I always thought that flan was more of a grown up dessert. Boy was I wrong! When I bit into that first piece of custard delight, I knew my mouth was in custard heaven! I knew I was hooked and never looked back. 

Cooking caramel can be tricky but if you keep the fire on medium and watch out so it doesn't burn then you'll be find. Just make sure when it becomes that dark amber color to transfer it quickly to your pan(s). Also make sure to swirl your pan(s) around to get it spread out through the surface. As you see in the above photo the caramel quickly settled to the middle of my baking pan. :( That's why you need to work fast!

Bake in a water bath so it doesn't cook to quickly. It's a pretty easy recipe to follow and don't be afraid of baking custard. Just give it go and practice! if you feel your oven is cooking the custard too fast then turn it down a few.

By the way, flan may look pretty simple and boring but the taste is so velvety and smooth. I especially loved the caramel sauce. I believe the caramel sauce is what makes the flan so delicious.  I'm very much happy that I know how to make flan on my own. **Patting myself on the shoulder** Just make sure if you make this to SHARE! Don't eat this on your own like me...Okay time to go running around the park.

Enjoy!

Spanish Flan
Prep time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hour Servings: 8
Source: All Recipes

Ingredients:

1 cup white sugar 3 eggs 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

 

Directions:

	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
	In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt sugar until liquefied and golden in color. Carefully pour hot syrup into a 9 inch round glass baking dish, turning the dish to evenly coat the bottom and sides. Set aside.
	In a large bowl, beat eggs. Beat in condensed milk, evaporated milk and vanilla until smooth. Pour egg mixture into baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil.
	Bake in preheated oven 60 minutes. Let cool completely.
	To serve, carefully invert on serving plate with edges when completely cool.

 

Coconut Custard Pie

I think two days of baking is catching up to me! My body was killing me last night, so I slept like a baby and didn't get up till 9:30am. Well good thing is I feel well rested today! ^_^

Every Thanksgiving I bake for my family and my boyfriends family, so that's a lot of baking...lol My mom wanted me to bake her pumpkin pie and coconut custard so I did. I got this recipe from Allrecipes.com.

This pie was super yummy and creamy, everyone loved this pie better than the pumpkin pie. I didn't make the crust, it was a frozen one. I didn't like the crust so much, so I think next time I will make this I will make my own pie crust.

Enjoy!

Coconut Custard Pie IV

Ingredients: 

1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked

4 eggs

1/2 cup white sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 pinch ground nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup whole milk

1 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 cup shredded coconut

Directions:  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 

In a large mixing bowl beat eggs slightly. Add sugar, salt, nutmeg, and vanilla extract. Mix well. Gently whisk in whole milk, evaporated milk, and cream. Fold in coconut. Pour mixture into baked pie shell. 

Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool before serving, and refrigerate within 1 hour. 

Source: allrecipes.com

Pumpkin Flan

I love Flan so when I saw this recipe online I just had to make it. I was glad I had some left over pumpkin puree to make some cookies afterwards! ^_~

If you don't like pumpkin, you can make it without it or add anything else you might like! The only thing I think I did wrong was set the temperature too high in the oven, next time I know to set it lower.

 But besides that this was very yummy and super creamy. The caramel sauce tops it off! 

 Recipe Below!

Enjoy!

 Pumpkin Flan

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
1/4 cup water
1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup pumpkin puree
5 eggs
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Boiling water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

For the Caramel:
Combine 1 cup sugar and water in medium, deep, heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved, about 2-3 minutes.  Increase heat to medium-high, and boil, without stirring, until caramel turns a copper brown color, anywhere from about 10-15 minutes.
Using oven mitts, quickly and carefully pour the caramel over bottom and sides of a 10-inch metal pie plate or a flan mold.  That caramel will be screaming hot!

For the custard:
Combine the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, cream cheese, pumpkin puree, 1/4 cup sugar, eggs, cornstarch,  spices and vanilla in a blender. Blend until smooth.
Strain custard mixture through a sieve over the caramel, into the pie plate or mold.  Arrange in a large roasting pan lined with a clean dish towel.

Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes about halfway up the side of your flan vessel.  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. The center of the flan should still jiggle a little when nudged.  Cool for about 30 minutes.  Chill in the fridge for several hours or overnight.

To unmold, run a sharp knife around the rim of the mold and gently shake to loosen. Invert onto a serving plate.

Source: Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy