Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Vanilla Orange Flan


We were at a Mexican grill-type restaurant on Saturday night when my children spotted flan.  I, of course, said that I could make flan and that we didn't need to buy it.  Being the wonderful, excellent, amazing, talented, amiable, mother that I am, I whipped up some flan for them on Monday!  By the way, these are all words they have used to describe me...my kids are laughing now! 

At Jenny Matlock's party, Alphabe-Thursday, the letter of the week is "V" for Vanilla Orange Flan.  I don't think my mother ever made a flan, but she made baked custard on many occasions.  Flan is very similar to baked custard.  Don't be intimidated by flan, it is easy to make and hard to make a mistake with.  I made my flan in ramekins just because I love to eat things in ramekins.  This is a recipe that I came up with that was inspired by several other recipes.

Vanilla Orange Flan Recipe:
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1-1/2 cups milk.  I used whole, but it would be fine to use 1% or 2% milk.
Zest from 1 orange
3 large eggs
14 ounce can of non-fat sweetened condensed milk.  You could use regular too. 
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract.  Do not use imitation vanilla.

Recipe for Vanilla Orange Flan

Butter the sides and the bottoms of 6 -7 (four-ounce) ramekins.  In a small sauce pan melt 1/2 cup sugar over medium heat.  When sugar is dissolved and has turned a caramel color, take off heat.  Divide the caramel between the ramekins.  You need to do this quickly so that the sugar doesn't harden before you put it in the ramekins.

In a medium sauce pan put zest of orange, 1-1/2 cups milk, and 1/4 cup sugar (if you would like it less sweet skip the sugar here) and heat until mixture almost boils.  Take off heat and let mixture sit until cool.  When mixture cools, pour through a fine sieve.  Add eggs, sweetened condensed milk, salt and vanilla.  Wisk ingredients until smooth.  Pour mixture through a fine sieve. 

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.  Place prepared ramekins in a roasting pan or 13 x 9 pan(s).  Put 1/2 cup of mixture into each ramekin.  Pour water in the roasting pan until water reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.  Avoid sloshing water in the ramekins.  To avoid sloshing, put your roasting pan on the rack of your oven and then pour water.  If you are using ramekins bake for 50 to 60 minutes.  Cook until just set.  The flan will tremble just a little bit.  If you are using a souffle or flan dish, you will need to bake the flan as long as 75 minutes.  After baking, remove ramekins from roasting pan and cool on a wire rack.

Ramekins cooling on the racks.















 Chill flan, covered, for at least four hours and up to one day.  When properly chilled, run a thin knife around the edge of the dish and invert onto dessert plate allowing the caramel sauce to dribble down the sides of flan.  In a pinch, you could put the flan in the freezer to cool.  It won't be as good, but it would work. 

















I am posting this with Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday.

Jenny Matlock

22 comments:

Linda @ A La Carte said...

Oh my goodness that looks good. I haven't had flan in years but it was delicious!

Holly said...

Vanilla orange sounds really good:)

Mid-Atlantic Martha said...

This looks wonderful -- I've never eaten flan. I'm just catching up from my long weekend away -- thanks for your sweet visit to my pansy table last week.

Jacqueline said...

Was it good? I have never liked flan although I love creme brulee - of course - more fat! Your photo makes it look delicious.

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style said...

Boy, does that look good. I wish I loved cooking and baking.

Viki said...

I've only tried flan a couple of times and it was never very tasty to me. Maybe I've just never had good flan because this looks delish lol. Great V post.

Unknown said...

Wow! Does this look good or what! I could eat it right now.

A 2 Z said...

Thank you for posting my favorite dessert of all times! It does not look so difficult at all. I always imagine it beyond my abilities. Thanks for sharing.

Anne-Marie

Brenda said...

My mother made custard when I was a child also. I have never had flan.

Jo said...

mmm ... vanilla orange sounds like such an interesting combination!

Pondside said...

I never tasted a flan when I was growing up. The first time I had a bite of one I thought I'd found the ultimate dessert!...this one looks very yummy!

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

I love flan!!

~✽Mumsy✽~ said...

Darn it, my sweet tooth is dying to take a taste from these delicious flan! Must make some!

Theresa Plas said...

Very mouthwatering vanilla orange flan!

laterg8r said...

sounds very delish :D

cj Schlottman said...

Yum! Like yours, my mother made baked custard, and I do, too. Now I'll tackle your recipe for flan!

My name is Riet said...

Oh wow, that loo0ks good and yummy. Great V post

Amy said...

Yum....oh my!! I need to make this for my SIL. She LOVES flan! She made her way through Spain eating flan. Flan and chorizo! :) LOL

Sweetums5 said...

Oh, wow, this looks so delicious! My teen daughter plans to try it out. Yum! Thanks for sharing! Love your pictures!

Susan said...

I do not have any ramekins, but I copied the recipe, as I would love to buy some and try this!
Thanks, Susan

Jenny said...

I adore flan!

I know that sounds dramatic but it's true!

It is one of my favorite desserts!

This is something I would really love to make!

Thanks for this scrumptious stop on our little journey through Alphabe-Thursday's Letter "V"!

And tell your kids your teacher says all those words are perfectly true!

A+

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

My daughter loves anything that is similar to a custard and flan is one of her favorite desserts! Yours looks so beautiful. Vanilla is a wonderful "V" word, Joni!

Engageya