Rami's Recipe Book

Crème Caramel (Flan)

—

by

panda
in

Yield: 6 5oz ramekins

Ratio: 2:1  liquid:egg

Ingredients

Caramel

  • 100g sugar (try 150g/3tbsp)
  • 2 tbsp water

Custard

  • 2 cups milk
  • 200g eggs (4 eggs)
  • 100g sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt

 

Instructions

Caramel

  1. In a small pan, add the water to sugar and whisk to dissolve.
  2. Cook over medium heat.  Sugar will boil, then start to brown.  Watch carefully:
    1. The goal is a rich, amber, maple-syrup color, but take it off slightly before this as it will continue to cook.
    2. Although many recipes warn against stirring, this is primarily to avoid getting the syrup on the sides of the pot where it will crystallize and burn.  If you’re careful, you can gently swirl to even out the browning, or stir with a wooden spoon.  Just take care to keep it off the side of the pot as much as possible.
    3. You can also take it off the heat and let it calm down to assess the color, or as a way of controlling the heat.
    4. If it starts to smoke you’ve probably gone too far.  Carefully try some.  (It’s hot!)  If it tastes burned it’s time to start again.  See note.
  3. Once the caramel reaches the desired color, pour into ramekins to form a thin layer that covers the bottom, about 1/8″.
  4. Allow to cool completely.  It will form a hard candy on the bottom.

 

Custard

  1. Preheat oven to 325F.
  2. Prepare ramekins:
    1. Place the ramekins in a large ovenproof pan and fill until the water level is 3/4 up the side of the ramekins.
    2. Remove ramekins and place pan in oven to begin heating the water.
  3. Lightly whisk egg and sugar until just dissolved.  I find it easier to hand whisk than use the stand mixer.
  4. Slowly pour in the milk.
  5. Strain the custard, then fill the ramekins evenly.  (About 135g each.)
  6. Put the ramekins in the water bath in the oven.
  7. Bake 30-40 minutes, until almost set.  Internal temp should be 175-180F.  You’re not trying to brown the top, just set the custard.  (Baked custards such as flan  should jiggle (but not slosh) when gently shaken. This will occur between 170 to 175 degrees. – TEST THIS TEMP)
  8. Remove from oven and cool on rack, then refrigerate until chilled.  (At least two hours.)

To serve, hold the ramekin upright but at an angle and hit the side with the palm of your hand.  Rotate and repeat.  Turn over on a plate tap the lip against the plate at a mild angle to release.

NOTES:

To clean the pot of caramel, fill with water and boil.  This will dissolve and dilute the caramel enough to pour down the drain.  If you need to ditch the whole batch, pour into an empty can before it cools to remove as much as possible from the pan before boiling.  Toss the can.

 

To try: Patisserie book suggests 3 eggs & 2 yolks.  Same method.  Also, Felder does not use water for the caramel.  Method: melt half, then add the rest and gently stir until cooked.