Dessert Recipe: Fantastic Flan

Also known as Creme caramel or caramel custard, Flan is a decidedly Western European dish. Its name is French, but the dish most of us in America call flan comes from Spanish-speaking countries. Each region has its own twist on the dessert. For example, in Mexico and Puerto Rico, some add 8oz. cream cheese to the recipe, while Cubans sometimes add two egg whites and some cinnamon.

We're sharing a fairly basic flan recipe, but feel free to experiment with variations of your own! This dessert can be served as a large pie and cut into slices, or baked as smaller, individual servings. It also holds shape, so feel free to experiment with different molds as well. Keep reading below for our favorite flan recipe...

Flan Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 large eggs
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 cups low-fat milk (about 1% or 2% fat)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Place a kitchen towel in the bottom of a large baking dish, and place a 9-inch cake pan in the center.
3. Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan, swirling the pan gently until the sugar has dissolved (about 3 minutes).
4. Reduce to a simmer and cook, swirling the pan occasionally (but not actually stirring) until the mixture has caramelized and turned a deep mahogany (7 to 10 minutes).
5. Slowly pour the caramel into the 9-inch cake pan. Let caramel cool until slightly hardened.
6. Bring a large saucepan of water to boil.
7. Meanwhile, whisk eggs and egg yolks together in a medium bowl until combined, about 1 minute. Whisk in the zest, vanilla extract, condensed milk, and low-fat milk.
8. Pour the mixture into the cake pan, then transfer the roasting pan with the cake pan inside to the oven. Pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until the water reaches halfway up the side of the cake pan.
9. Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until the custard has just barely set and is no longer sloshy. You want the center of the custard to be 170 to 175 degrees. Don't worry if the flan hasn't entirely set, it will finish setting during cooling.
10. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and transfer the cake pan to a wire rack and let cool for about 2 hours.
11. Wrap the cake pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the custard is completely chilled (between 2 hours and up to 24 hours).
12. run a knife around the edge of the cake pan to loosen the custard, then invert a large serving platter over the top of the cake pan. Holding both the plate and pan, flip the custard over onto the platter. Drizzle any extra caramel sauce over the top of the flan and serve. (You may want to make extra caramel sauce for the flan, just repeat steps 3 and 4 of the recipe to create more).
13. Enjoy!

Dessert Recipe: Tea-Infused Creme Brulee

This recipe takes a slight change from the classic fare and infuses it with tea. To assist the sweetness of the dish, try using a bold, black tea like Irish Breakfast, though feel free to experiment with your own favorite. We also used vanilla extract for its ease of availability, but if you can find it, using a full vanilla bean will provide the richest flavor. If you want to make basic creme brulee instead of the tea infused version, remove the tea bags from the recipe and add an additional teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Another note: this recipe calls for you to put a dish towel in the bottom of a baking dish and place the individual ramekins on top before partially filling the baking dish with water. This is to make sure there is water underneath the brulees as they bake, and to ensure an even distribution of temperature. Now on to the recipe! 

Tea Infused Creme Brulee

(makes 6 servings)

Ingredients

• 4 cups heavy cream, chilled
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• a pinch of salt
• 10 bags Irish Breakfast tea, strings tied together
• 12 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8-12 teaspoons turbinado sugar.

Directions 

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
2. Combine 2 cups cream with the sugar and salt in a medium saucepan, and add the tea bags. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to make sure the sugar dissolves.
3. Once the mixture comes to a boil, remove the pan from the heat and let steep for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, place a kitchen towel in the bottom of a large baking dish. Bring a kettle or large saucepan of water to boil over high heat.
5. After the cream has finished steeping, remove the tea bags and squeeze them with tongs or press into a mesh strainer to extract all the liquid.
6. Stir together the tea liquid and the remaining 2 cups cream with the steeped cream to cool down the mixture.
7. Whisk in the yolks and vanilla extract in a separate bowl.
8. Whisk 1 cup of the cream mixture into the yolks until loosened and combined.
9. Repeat with the remaining cream, whisking 1 cup at a time until all is combined.
10. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a large measuring cup or pitcher. Discard the solids in the strainer.
11. Pour or ladle the mixture into individual ramekins, dividing it evenly among them.
12. Place the ramekins in the baking dish, then carefully place the baking dish into the oven.
13. Pour the boiling water into the baking dish in the oven, being careful to not splash water into the ramekins until water reaches two-thirds the height of the ramekins.
14. Bake until the centers of the custard are just barely set and an instant-read thermometer registers 170 to 175 degrees at the center (This should take about 30-35 minutes).
15. Transfer the ramekins to a wire rack, and cool to room temperature (about 2 hours).
16. Set the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cold (at least 4 hours).
17. Uncover the ramekins, then sprinkle each evenly with about 1 teaspoon of turbinado sugar.
18. Ignite a kitchen torch and caramelize the sugar. Refrigerate ramekins uncovered to re-chill about 30 minutes before serving.
19. Enjoy!

Decadent Breakfast Recipe: Caramel-Cinnamon Apple Waffles

When it’s prime apple season this is the perfect recipe to utilize all those Granny Smiths. With soft and tender apples, this breakfast is a comforting and warm way to start the day. We love waffles and pancakes equally, so if you don’t have a waffle iron or just prefer to make pancakes, go ahead and do that instead—you can’t go wrong on this one!

Cinnamon Apple Waffles

(Serves 4-6) 

Ingredients 

Apples:

• 3 apples, peeled and cubed; 2 tart, 1 sweet
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

Waffles:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 ½  cups almond milk (or regular)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Non-stick cooking spray
• 1/4 cup almonds, garnish
• Whipped cream, garnish

Directions

1. In a large, hot skillet, melt butter and add apples, stirring occasionally. After a few minutes, add cinnamon and brown sugar, reduce heat and cover to let soften completely (4-5 minutes). Once softened, remove cover to let caramelize, then take apples off heat.
2. Preheat waffle iron.
3. In a large bowl, beat eggs until fluffy and sift in dry ingredients; then add milk and oil. Mix well, just be careful to not overmix.
4. Add in half or all of cinnamon-apple mixture (depending on whether you want some for garnish). Fold in well. If batter appears too thick, add more milk.
5. Spray waffle iron with non-stick spray and pour in 1/2 cup of batter. Cook according to waffle iron instructions, or until golden brown.