A creamy vanilla custard with a caramel sauce.
Myra told me that she wanted her employees to memorize the ingredients for flan, because it was too simple to make, and she didn’t want the word to get out. I disagree. The ingredients are simple, but the process is involved! This is one of my husband James’ favorite desserts. He will try flan when we go to Mexican restaurants, and rarely is it as good as this recipe. There are simple ingredients and you use what is on hand: eggs, canned milk and sugar. The famous Cuban cookbook and television personality, Nitza Villapol would approve. She was known as the Julia Child of Cuba. She would put recipes together with what was available, much like the way Myra made up recipes…using what was on hand in the moment.
To make this style of flan, you need a small metal pot with a lid that fits inside a larger pot with a lid. You are going to steam the ingredients, instead of cooking them directly on the stove. We have always used the top of a double boiler for the smaller pot. You have to be able to put the lid on the large pot after you have put the smaller pot inside the larger pot. (See photos). You also have to caramelize the sugar. Watch carefully, so the sugar doesn’t burn. The color should look like the last photo below.
The ingredients may be simple, but it takes a little practice to have this all come together perfectly! If you have any questions email me, and I’ll help you figure it out.
Cuban Style Flan
Equipment
- 1 large bowl
- 1 wire whisk
- 1 large pot with lid
- 1 double boiler top with lid
- 1 small saucepan for melting the sugar
Ingredients
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 1 can condensed milk
- 1 1/2 TBLS vanilla
- 5 eggs lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup sugar
Instructions
- Put enough water in the larger pot, so that the water comes 3/4 of the way up the outside of the smaller pot (we use the top of a double boiler). Put the smaller pot in the larger pot.
- Put the 1/2 cup of sugar in a small saucepan on the stove and melt the sugar. Using a long handled spoon or spatula, move the sugar around until it is liquid and caramel colored. When it is a lovely shade of brown, slide the caramel into the double boiler pot. Be careful! Hot sugar can burn you!
- Put the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together the 2 cans of milk, the vanilla, and the eggs until well combined. Pour this mixture on top of the caramel in the smaller pot.
- Put the lids on both the pots. Turn the stove on medium high. When the water in the bottom pot begins to boil, adjust the temperature so that the water is just barely boiling. Steam for 45 minutes.
- When the 45 minutes are up, check to make sure the flan is set. Leave the lids off both pots and let the flan cool down till you can take it out of the water.
- Cool the flan for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Take a knife and cut around the edge of the flan and turn it over onto a dish. There will be caramel sauce, so use a dish that has as edge, so you don't lose all the sweet goodness. Keep refrigerated until you serve it.
