brazilian flan

Paula Garcia Todd

Brazilian Flan

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Author: Paula Garcia Todd

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 1 HourInactive time: 30 MinTotal time: 1 H & 45 M

I don't know where I'm really from... My parents and extended family are from Chile. I was born in Brazil while my parents were living there for some years. We moved to the US when I was 9. I've lived in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, New Jersey, and Georgia. But no matter where I live, nothing takes me back to my early childhood like this recipe. I know you've probably had flan in Mexican restaurants, but this recipe is slightly different, it has more of a Brazilian flair to it. And the consistency of the flan won't be perfectly smooth. But that's what makes it our family recipe - it'll taste delicious but look like it was made in your home. I hope you enjoy it as much as our family does.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• whole milk

Protocol

1. First, you need to make what we call the "caramel" of the flan. Take 2 cups of sugar and melt down in a saucepan. Do not add water to it, it will liquify and turn into a brown syrup. Make sure to continually stir until done and then promptly remove from heat so you don't burn it.
2. Next, mix all the ingredients for the flan in a blender - add the eggs and sweetened condensed milk, and then use the can for the sweetened condensed milk to measure the whole milk and pour TWO cans of whole milk into the blender. Blend until smooth.
3. Use a cake pan with a hole in the middle (like for a bundt cake or angel food cake) and pour the caramel syrup into it, covering the bottom and into the sides. Pour the solution in the blender into the cake pan next.
4. Place the cake pan in a large water bath in the oven and let bake for about an hour at 400F. You can check to see if it's done before removing out of the oven - just like a regular cake, look for a dry toothpick or cake tester.
5. Remove from water bath once done and allow to cool for 30 minutes. Once cool, use a knife to separate the flan from the side of the cake pan. Take a larger deep dish and place over the cake pan, and in one swift motion, turn the flan upside down onto the dish. Allow as much caramel as possible to drip over the flan.
6. Flan is served best after being refrigerated for 30 minutes - even better if it sits in that caramel overnight in the fridge!

Notes:

This recipe is from my mother, Esperanza Hernandez.

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