Mexican Flan

Pronounced [FLAHN] is commonly used as a term to describe the Spanish, Portuguese or Mexican version of Creme Caramel normally baked in a water bath and turned out of it's mold onto a plate for serving.  In England the term usually refers to a crust with either a sweet or savory filling.  The crust is formed and baked in a flan ring, cooled and filled. 

Adapted from a recipe by Jacqueline Higuera McMahan, San Francisco Chronicle, September, 2003

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

6 egg yolks (room temperature)

2 whole eggs (room temperature)

24 ounces evaporated milk

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons Mexican vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Step 1
   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Step 2
   Place the 1 cup sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and caramelize over medium heat At first, swirl the pan over the heat, but do not stir (this will cause it to clump). After about 8 minutes, when the sugar has begun to liquefy, stir with a heavy spoon. When the caramel turns light brown, quickly (and carefully burns are painful) pour into a 2-quart, high-sided metal flan mold.  Tip pan so caramel coats the bottom and up sides of mold. Work fast; caramel hardens quickly.
3. Step 3
   Place on the bottom rack of the preheated oven and bake for approximately 65 minutes. After 55 minutes, open the oven door and test the flan by inserting the thinnest knife you own into the middle of the flan. Do not go all the way to the bottom. If large curds cling to the knife the flan is not yet done. Give it about 10 minutes longer. If just a film of custard clings to the knife, the flan is done. When you jiggle the mold, the custard should shimmer in the middle but look cooked around the edge.
4. Step 4
   Remove from oven and cool mold on a rack. The flan will continue to cook for about an hour after being removed from the oven. During this time it will set up. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before unmolding.

1. Step 5
   Unmold
   Run a thin, sharp knife around the edge of the flan. Move the pan from side to side to see if the flan is slipping and free from the edges of the pan. Place a flat serving platter with a raised rim on top of the mold. Holding the platter and mold together tightly, flip them over. The flan should slip easily onto the platter, along with most of the caramel sauce. Use a spoon to remove more caramel and spoon it around the custard. The bottom of the pan will have a hard layer of caramel still on it.. 

1. Step 6
   Serve
   Cut flan into wedges spooning caramel sauce over each slice.