MY SPANISH GRANDMOTHER’S FLAN RECIPE

Hello there. Thanks for stopping in today. As a first generation American of Spanish descent, I’m a real lover of authentic Spanish food. Here in California, when you speak of Spanish food, most folks think you’re talking about Mexican food, which really could not be further from Spanish food than, say, Chinese. It’s extremely difficult to find good Spanish food in America unless you eat it in a Spanish/American person’s home like I did growing up. That’s probably why most Americans have no idea what true Spanish cuisine is.

My Spanish Grandmother’s Paella Recipe

When I think of the best Spanish food I ever ate I am reminded of my Grandmother’s amazing Spanish cooking. Everything she made was so delicious, especially her recipe for Flan. My Spanish Grandmother’s Flan recipe is the best, and thanks to her I’m going to share that recipe with you today. And come to think of it, Flan is one of the rare Spanish dishes that is included in Mexican cuisine as well. However, the Mexican or Latin American versions of Flan are usually made with a combination of sweetened condensed milk and condensed milk, a different animal all together.

So, let me show you how to prepare my Spanish Grandmother’s Flan recipe…

First, position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 325°F.

Caramel Sauce

To make the caramel sauce, add 1 cup granulated sugar to a heavy, medium sized skillet.

Swirl the pan over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Continue cooking, swirling, until syrup turns deep amber and all lumps and grains of sugar dissolve.

Quickly pour caramel into a 1 1/2 quart Pyrex or oven proof round casserole dish.  You can also use six, 6 oz. Pyrex custard cups. Using oven mitts, immediately tilt the dish/cups so that the caramel evenly coats the bottom and up the sides.  Set your dish or custard cups into a 13″x 9″x 2″ baking pan and set aside.

The Custard

The custard recipe calls for only a few ingredients.

• 3 C. Half & Half
• 2 t. Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 t. Salt
• 2 Whole Eggs
• 6 Egg Yolks
• 3/4 C. Granulated Sugar

The recipe calls for 8 eggs total: 6 yolks and 2 whole eggs. Separate the yolks from 6 of the eggs. You won’t be using the 6 egg whites in this recipe. I like to freeze the egg whites in a ziplock bag for future use in things like meringues or omelets.

Whisk the whole eggs and the yolks in a medium bowl, preferably one with a pour spout.

Add the 3/4 C. sugar and whisk until the mixture is pale yellow and thick.

Set the egg mixture aside.

Add the half & half to a heavy medium saucepan.

Stir in the salt, reserving the vanilla extract for later. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Take care not to let the cream come to a full boil to prevent it from spilling over. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Temper the egg mixture by gradually whisking in the hot half & half mixture. Don’t add the hot milk too quickly or the eggs will cook!

Next, pass the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large liquid measuring cup or bowl with a pour spout. This will ensure that the flan will be perfectly smooth.

Pour the strained custard into the caramelized baking pan or custard cups.

Next, create a water bath around the dish/dishes of Flan by pouring hot (not boiling) water into the 13″x 9″x 2″ baking pan until it comes halfway up the side of the Flan dish. Be careful not to get water into the custard.

Carefully transfer to the middle oven rack. Bake until the center of the Flan is gently set, about 1 hour & 10 minutes. It will only take about 45 minutes for the custard cups. Insert a small, sharp knife into the center of the flan. If the flan is set, the knife will come out clean. Transfer Flan to a rack and cool. Cover and chill until cold, about 4 hours or overnight.

When you are ready to serve run a small, sharp knife around the edge of the flan to loosen it from the sides of the baking dish.  Shake very gently to release the flan.  Place a flat serving plate on top of the baking dish or custard cups and quickly and carefully flip the flan over. Carefully lift off the baking dish, allowing the caramel syrup to run over the flan. Cut into pie shaped wedges, top with a little fresh whipped cream, serve and enjoy!

Can be made 2 days ahead.

Shop The Recipe

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Casserole Baking Dish with Lid, Glass, 1.5-Quart

Pyrex Clear Custard Cups, Set of 8, 6-Ounce

Here’s the handy, dandy printable recipe…

MY SPANISH GRANDMOTHER'S FLAN RECIPE

 

Print

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

1 hour 30 mins

Total time

1 hour 50 mins

 

My Spanish grandmother was the BEST cook. Everything she made was divine, including this Spanish Flan recipe. This is the way Flan should be made! It can be made 2 days ahead.

Author: Celia Becker

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: Spanish

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• Caramel Sauce
• 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
• Custard
• 3 C. Half & Half
• 2 t. Vanilla Extract
• ¼ t. Salt
• 2 Whole Eggs
• 6 Egg Yolks
• ¾ C. Granulated Sugar

Instructions

1. Position a rack in center of your oven and preheat to 325°F.
2. To Make the Caramel
3. Add 1 cup granulated sugar to a heavy, medium sized skillet.
4. Swirl the pan over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
5. Continue cooking, swirling, until syrup turns deep amber and all lumps and grains of sugar dissolve.
6. Quickly pour caramel into a 1½ quart Pyrex or oven proof round casserole dish or six, 6 oz. Pyrex custard cups.
7. Using oven mitts, immediately tilt the dish/cups so that the caramel evenly coats the bottom and up the sides.
8. Set your dish or custard cups into a 13"x 9"x 2" baking pan and set aside.
9. To Make the Custard
10. Whisk whole eggs and yolks in a medium bowl, preferably one with a pour spout.
11. Add the ¾ C. sugar and whisk until the mixture is pale yellow and thick.
12. Set egg mixture aside.
13. Add half & half to a heavy medium saucepan.
14. Stir in salt, reserving vanilla extract for later.
15. Bring to simmer over medium heat.
16. Take care not to let half & half come to a full boil to prevent it from spilling over.
17. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
18. Temper the egg mixture by gradually whisking in the hot half & half mixture.
19. Don't add the hot milk too quickly or the eggs will cook!
20. Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large liquid measuring cup or bowl with a pour spout.
21. This will ensure that the flan will be perfectly smooth.
22. Create a water bath around the dish/dishes of Flan by pouring hot (not boiling) water into the 13"x 9"x 2" baking pan until it comes halfway up the side of the Flan dish.
23. Be careful not to get water into the custard.
24. Carefully transfer to middle oven rack.
25. Bake until center of Flan is gently set, about 1 hour & 10 minutes.
26. It will only take about 45 minutes for custard cups.
27. Insert a small, sharp knife into the center of the flan. If set, knife will come out clean.
28. Transfer Flan to a rack and cool. Cover and chill until cold, about 4 hours or overnight.
29. When ready to serve run a small, sharp knife around the edge of the flan to loosen it from the sides of the baking dish.
30. Shake very gently to release the flan.
31. Place a flat serving plate on top of the baking dish or custard cups and quickly and carefully flip the flan over.
32. Carefully lift off the baking dish, allowing the caramel syrup to run over the flan.
33. Cut into pie shaped wedges, top with a little fresh whipped cream, serve and enjoy!

Notes

You won't be using the 6 egg whites in this recipe. I like to freeze the egg whites in a ziplock bag for future use in things like meringues or omelets.

3.4.3177

So there you have it: MY SPANISH GRANDMOTHER’S FLAN RECIPE

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