The Flan Attempt

Recently I saw a commercial on TV that showed Flan. This is supposed to be an open pastry or sponge cake containing a sweet or savory filling. Typical Flan is round and usually coated with sweet syrup. For whatever reason I decided this was something I needed to make for my husband. He loves Flan.

Of course I found myself of Pinterest searching easy Mexican Flan Recipes. I was also looking for the ones that had very few ingredients. I found one at http://shewearsmanyhats.com/easy-flan-recipe/

The opening line was "This creamy flan is easy to prepare and can be made up to 3 days in advance."

Once I printed out the recipe there was no stopping me. I just needed to have the time to make it and I wanted it to be a surprise.

Ingredients:
1 quart + 1/4 cup of water
1 cup granulated sugar
1 package (8 oz) light cream cheese, softened
4 large eggs
1 can (12oz) evaporated milk
1can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

I am thinking to myself, okay, easy, I have this! A quick run to the grocery store for the only ingredient I didn't have at home, the sweetened condensed milk. I have a plan. I know I will succeed.

Instructions:
1) preheat oven to 325 degrees
2) bring 1 quart of water to a boil

3) In a saucepan, whisk together constantly 1/4 cup of water, and sugar and bring to a boil. (I knew at this point it was most likely a true Mexican recipe because most Mexican recipes include the words "Stir Constantly") As soon as mixture begins to boil, stop whisking, lower temperature to medium and let simmer until it turns golden brown, 10-15 minutes. (I began having issues at this point. I wasn't sure I whisked enough, and I wasn't sure what exactly it meant by golden brown) Pour mixture into a 9-inch deep dish pie pan (or individual oven safe ramekins), set in a roasting pan or deep baking pan large enough to accommodate the dish(es) I was lost by this point, but I had reached the point of no return.

While boiling the sugar water mix I watched the mixture take on several different consistencies, it was like a science project. I finally ended up with a thick syrupy mixture that I failed to place in the bottom of my pan, and to make matters worse I had a bread pan, not a pie pan!

4) While the water/sugar mixture is simmering, beat the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
5) add eggs, one at a time, stopping to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl after each egg is added
6) add evaporated and condensed milk, and vanilla and mix until combined well

These steps were easy for me. I had a  solid understanding of them.

7) Put roasting pan in oven and pour cream cheese mixture into pie plate (or individual ramekins). Pour hot water in the bottom of the roasting pan to reach about halfway up the pie plate (or ramekins). Bake until flan is jiggly but not watery, about 1 hour. (Reduce baking time to about 45-50 if using the individual ramekins)
8) Remove from oven, cool and refrigerate until ready to serve. Run a small knife around perimeter of the pie plate to loosen sides and invert onto a rimmed platter or plate. Cut into pieces and serve.

Lucky for me the hubby got home before it was ready to pull out of the oven because I was not in the least sure what it meant by "jiggly" He was impressed that flan was in the oven and even more impressed that it was a homemade flan and not one of the box mixes.

Once pulling it out of the oven, it smelled delicious. We placed it in the refrigerator to cool. Everything looked great right up to the moment that we removed it from the pan.

That is the moment that be began to feel pity for me, but respect for my drive to even attempt the recipe. Though it looked beyond ugly, it did taste pretty good.

 

This was what we could salvage of the flan. I didn't put the coating on the bottom I just poured it over the cheese mixture and that made it not cook correctly so that it could just be poured out of the pan with the sweet stuff on the top.



Mark 12:31 The second is this: "Love your neighbor as yourself." There is no greater commandment greater than this.