Flan’s origins go back to the 17th century Cataluña. It is a traditional Latin American dessert. It is also considered a traditional Romanian dessert, cremă de zahăr. I took the photo on this page at a restaurant in Bucharest in 2009. It tasted just like my mother’s flan.
This recipe was given to my mother by Doña Candida Noa de Espinosa in 1947, when Bernadette was newly married. She lived next door to her sister-in-law, Maria Elena. Doña Candida was Maria Elena’s mother-in-law. Bernadette had good memories of her friendship with Doña Candida.
The Espinosa Flores y Perez Noa family. Doña Candida Perez Noa is sitting next to her husband.
THE RECIPE:
Makes a small flan for 4 to 6 servings.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup of sugar for making the caramel
2 eggs
1 can of evaporated milk
2 tsp vainilla
3/4 cups of sugar
PREPARATION
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- In the ceramic or metal baking dish where flan will bake, melt the sugar on the cook top until it melts into caramel.
- Spread the caramel on all inside surfaces of the baking dish.
- Prepare “bain marie” : Pour water into a baking dish that is wider than the one you will use to make the flan. The amount of water should only be about 1 inch deep.
- Using a hand blender mix the eggs and sugar first. Then and the evaporated milk and vanilla. Bernadette would use a regular blender. Both methods work well.
- Pour the mix on the caramel covered baking dish. Place it inside the wider baking dish you prepared for the “bain marie”.
- Bake for about 1 and 1/2 hours uncovered, at 350 degrees, or until a knife inserted into the flan comes out clean. It will have the crema consistency of a creme brulee or a crema catalana.
- For a more traditional, firmer flan, bake for 2 hours at 350 negrees.
- After it cools down, chill in the refrigerator.
Delicious when served with fresh fruits or ice cream, or both.
Try it with a spoonful of cognac poured over it before serving.
Or and a spoonful of cognac to the mix before baking.
BON APPETIT!