Flan? Anyone?

[madmax]

I have an easy fairly decent recipe for flan. I've made this several times and it's pretty good expect for the carmel that needs to go into the ramekin before baking. I can't for the life of me make this damn thing.

The recipe calls for 1/2c. sugar 1/4 c. water boil on stove stirring constantly. If I don't cook it long enough it doesn't turn that nice dark rum color ...if I keep cooking the water evaporates and I can't budge the stuff out of the pot. Any suggestions??

If anyone has a good flan recipe please post. If you want mine I'll post it later. I'm up to my eyeballs to day because tomorrow I'm having surgery. A cochlear implant and I want to make this flan tonight for hubby's desert. Also, cuz I love it LOL.

[Warpy]

1. The best way I know is to make the caramel in whatever

you're using to bake the flan in. A metal pie pan is ideal. Just wait for the sugar to begin to caramelize, shut the heat off and swirl it around the sides of the pan, pour in the custard and bake.

Most recipes I know use a cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of water, just enough to dissolve the sugar and get the process going. The truth is that you really don't need water at all, just keep stirring the sugar so that it melts evenly without burning on the bottom.

[madmax]

2. Warpy - you're a genius!!

That sounds so easy - I'm having a 'duh, why didn't I think of that' moment.

It's always taken me the longest to make the syrup part than anything. Sometimes the sugar would turn into hard balls and I'm adding more water and remelting the whole thing again.

I was tempted to try make it without water and maybe use a teflon coated pot but, this is easier. Last week I made it I tried to cheat and used maple syrup.. ewwww yuck. Not good.

Thanks for your help.

[yellowdogintexas]

6. I fought that war a couple of weeks ago, trying to get syrup made for 16

individual flans. I threw away a lot of pseudo rock candy before I finally got it right. They were good though.

I had better success w/no water in the syrup, and in small batches. Once the syrup is made and distributed, you are essentially home free.

[Shakespeare]

3. That's the way my mom makes it, too.

I'm more of a creme brulee person, but flan made the way you describe is fantastic.

[madmax]

4. Yeah, you Hollywood types are definitely

creme brulee :evilgrin: I'm nosy and peeked at your myspace page. Very cute and I agree with the old boyfriend you ARE a dead ringer for the Varga Girl. I hope you have a copy hanging in your home.

I've never made creme brulee how about a recipe?

Oh, and who's the guy in the pic with you with the Kirk Douglass dimple. If you say Kirk, I'll fall off my chair.

[Shakespeare]

5. Ha!!

Not Kirk Douglas, just my boyfriend (who's WAY better looking than Kirk). Love that chin dimple.

Here's my creme brulee recipe:

5 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean
1-2 teaspoons extra-fine granulated sugar

Whisk the yolks and sugar together until the sugar is completely dissolved, and the mixture lightens. Split vanilla bean and scrape pulp into the heavy cream; heat cream in a saucepan until it just begins to simmer (do not boil). Remove from heat, and using the tempering method, whisk cream into yolk/sugar mixture. Pour into four 8 oz. ramekins, place in a water bath, and bake at 375 until barely set (center should still jiggle slightly). Time will vary depending on your oven, so watch it closely the first time you make it; usually takes about 35 minutes in my oven.

After you remove them from the oven, chill for at least four hours (overnight is good). When you're ready to serve, sprinkle superfine sugar on top of each brulee, tap/shake to distribute the sugar evenly over the tops, and caramelize with a butane torch (you can pop it under the broiler for a couple of minutes if you don't have a torch).