Flan
Spanish Egg Custard with Caramel
Egg, milk and sugar, baked in a water bath over a layer of caramel and turned out so that the caramel runs down the sides. If a Spanish restaurant has only one home-made dessert, it is this. A good one is smooth all the way through, with no bubbles.
The Spanish recipe read infuses milk with citrus zest and cinnamon, cools it for half an hour, stirs it into eggs and sugar without whisking in air, strains the mixture into caramel-lined moulds and bakes them in a water bath at 180°C for 25 to 30 minutes. It recommends a full day in the fridge before turning out.
Ingredients
For the caramel
- 100 g caster sugar
- 2 tbsp water
For the custard
- 500 ml whole milk
- Pared zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 medium eggs
- 125 g caster sugar
Method
- Infuse the milk Bring the milk to the boil with the zest and cinnamon. Take off the heat and leave for 30 minutes to cool and take on the flavour.
- Make the caramel Heat the sugar and water in a small heavy pan over a medium heat, without stirring, for 5 to 7 minutes, swirling once the sugar has dissolved, until deep amber. Pour at once into the moulds and tilt to cover the bases.
- Mix the custard Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Stir the eggs and sugar together with a fork until combined, without beating in air. Stir in the infused milk and strain into a jug, then pour into the moulds.
- Bake Stand the moulds in a deep roasting tin and pour in hot water to come halfway up their sides. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the custards are set at the edge and tremble slightly in the middle.
- Chill and turn out Lift the moulds from the water, cool, then chill for 24 hours. Run a thin knife round each, cover with a plate and turn over.
Food safety
Caramel reaches well over 150°C and sticks to skin. Pour it carefully and keep children away. Take care with the tin of hot water.
Bubbles come from beating the eggs or from an oven that is too hot. Stir gently and keep the water bath below a simmer.