MY version of the Brazilian Flan, yeah, you're going to want to make this

I grew up enjoying a custard dessert with caramel on the bottom, it's called creme caramel.
I love creme caramel.

I moved to Texas and voila, my beloved creme caramel is called Flan.
Ok, I'm easy, I still love creme caramel Flan.  Ok, Flan.

THEN while researching something completely different I stumbled upon Brazilian Flan.  Seriously?  it appears the only difference is the blending and the addition of sweetened condensed milk.  Wow, there's nothing wrong with that at all.

After some more research and testing, I came up with this, my version of the Brazilian Flan.  It's thicker and creamier than it's French and Mexican relations and that's ok in my book.  It's a snap to throw together, makes a ton (10 ramekins!) and did I mention delicious??  It's also in a jar, Flan in a Jar, baby.

It occupies that spot in time and space between a flan and a creme brulee.  It's custardy and creamy and light and sweet and rich all at the same time.  You're going to have to make this.

BRAZILIAN STYLE CREME CARAMEL FLAN in a Jar - MY VERSION

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (or make your own)
1 (scant) can (use empty ^^ can) milk
4 eggs, Large or better
pinch salt
dribble of vanilla
nutmeg if you're in the mood

Combine in a blender and blend till well combined, leave to settle and the bubbles to subside, or skim them off.

Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar in  a 4 cup pyrex measuring cup, add a little water to moisten.  Microwave on high about 6 minutes, until it's the color you like.

Divide hot sugar mixture between 10 ramekins or the 4 oz glass jars I use for everything.  Put them in a dish with a towel on the bottom then divide the caramel.

Fill with the milk egg mixture

Pour hot water to 1/2 up the sides of the containers and pop ainto a 350 preheated oven for 40 minutes.  The top browns, don't freak out, it's supposed to.  The condensed milk is the culprit, don't fret.

When they're set but a little jiggly, transfer them to a rack and leave to cool.  Pop the lids on the jars and throw them in the fridge till tomorrow or until they're really cold.

Invert onto a plate or just dig in.

Rich, cold, caramelly, sumptuous, delicious, tasty, yummy, moorish, the reason to get out of bed in the morning, the middle of the day or the middle of the night.

You're welcome :)

ENJOY!

Put the ramekins or jars in a pan om a towel.  Mix the egg and milks in a blender and set aside

  

 Make the caramel in the microwave, this took about 6 minutes on high.  I'd say be careful, it's hot, but then  we all know boiling sugar is hot so I'm not going to say it, we're not idiots.

 

Divide the caramel between the jars then fill with the milk and egg mixture.  Bake for 40 then remove to a rack to cool completely.  

Put them in the fridge, covered and leave them to get icy cold.  

(confession:  I love them warm)

 

 

That's it, make them, enjoy them then make some more :) 

Tracy

Pressure cooker creme caramel or flan or custard

I'm on a mission to go through my recipes and see which are perfectly suited to cook in my Nesco pressure cooker. I don't usually post two in one day but these are desperate times, I nailed and I mean NAILED the perfect creme caramel in my pressure cooker and I can't wait an appropriate number of days between posts.

It's similar to my standard oven creme caramel recipe here:
http://www.tracycooksinaustin.com/2011/04/creme-caramel-flan.html

Today, I added an extra yolk.  I felt like some additional richness and it didn't disappoint.  I think it would be delicious either way so if you only have one egg, don't not make this!

Tracy's Pressure Cooker Creme Caramel (or Flan or Custard if you leave out the caramel)

1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp water
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp sugar
1 whole egg
1 yolk
1 tsp vanilla
pinch salt

Quick Recipe Version

Melt sugar and water in 2 cup glass measure in microwave until it's caramel (3 mins?)
Divide between 4 ramekins or small glass jars
Combine remaining ingredients and divide between jars
Pressure cook, on trivet, on LOW pressure for 3 minutes.
Allow pressure to reduce naturally.
Chill, eat.

Long, Rambling, Commentary with Pictures Recipe

Arrange your glass vessels and prepare for delight. 

Nuke sugar and water in a 2 cup glass measure in the microwave, it's safer than the stove I think because it's already in a vessel with a spout.  Pour carefully and you'll be just fine.  The nice thing about the glass cup is that you can see the color of the caramel exactly.  Take it out slightly before you think it's perfect.

  

In a new 2 cup glass measuring cup ((the first one is TOO HOT and will CRACK if you put cold milk in it)) combine milk (no need to scald milk for custard anymore) and some of my Chef-y vanilla bean paste or extract if you either a) don't have this stuff or b) don't want specs of vanilla in your custard.  I like it. Add one whole egg and one yolk, the sugar and salt.  Mix well but don't get bubbles.  I did get bubbles in my zeal and excitement and as a result there's dots in my custard.  Now then, dots in custard isn't the end of the world and hardly anything that will get you drummed out of the home cook ranks but if you care then don't get bubbles.  If you must be dot-less in your final product then combine the ingredients, let it sit 5-10 minutes then strain carefully and you'll be dot-free and able to hold your head high at the assembly of the I obviously took time to prepare my creme caramel not like HER in her pressure cooker excitement who didn't wait or strain and LOOK, has DOTS in her custard ((oh the shame)

Divide the custard between your caramel laden ramekins, or, if you're going caramel free, into your plain ramekins.
  
The mixture fills the 2 ramekins and 2 jars perfectly!  I am doing 2 sizes for experiment purposes  *both work fine!*  Place your custards on a trivet in a pressure cooker with about 2 cups of water in the bottom.  LOCK AND LOAD 3 MINUTES LOW PRESSURE.
  
DING!  when your timer goes off, unplug the unit and leave it to come down on it's own, I set my timer for 10 minutes and it was ready to open without any fuss.

OH look at these beauties.  I admit after I put them in I grated a little nutmeg on them.  Remove from cooker and put in the fridge to set.  Mine took a little over an hour but then I was in a hurry to blog.  Run a thin knife around the edge, and tip it directly upside down onto a plate.  Let it stand a moment before you lift the ramekin and you'll be rewarded by slightly more of the caramel yumminess.
  

I cannot STAND the wait... tick tick tick.  Oh, lovely!
  
What a thing of beauty, it's very soft and silken and creamy and smoooooooooth.  YES, there are dots in my custard, I left bubbles and didn't strain.  ::hangs head in shame::  In case you're interested, the dots are purely aesthetic and don't affect the taste or texture at all.  The specs are vanilla from the paste.
  
I'll sample for you now...
       

You loved it.  You really, truly, loved it.  THREE minutes in a pressure cooker instead of half an hour in a water bath in the oven?  Oh heck yes, I'm a solid convert!  

You're going to be delighted, go make it... quickly

/enjoy

Creme Caramel, Flan

I love crème caramel and there are more recipes online than you can count or that you could ever make. If you look at the recipes, they are long, convoluted, involve straining and transferring to and from vessels and seem daunting at the very least. No worries, you need not look any further. This is the recipe you need, the recipe you want. It makes four; it doesn’t take a dozen eggs, hours to make or special equipment of any kind. You can double it easily if you feel the need for 8.

I use a microwave to make the caramel and to scald the milk. Shove it in the oven after a few easy steps and you end up with the perfect crème caramel. I have been making this for years. It worked brilliantly when I lived alone, when I was a couple and then when I turned into a family.

There are a few preliminary, preparatory steps to take, they’re easy and you can do them with a cup of coffee, or a glass of wine, in your hand.

Boil a kettle of water, we will need the water for the water bath the custard will bake in.

Find a casserole dish that will hold 4 ramekins and set it on the counter, with the ramekins inside.

CREME CARAMEL

½ cup sugar

2 Tbsp water

1 cup milk

1 egg

1Tbsp sugar

½ tsp salt

½ tsp vanilla

For the caramel

Put ½ cup sugar in a 2 cup (Pyrex) measuring cup with 2 Tbsp water.

Microwave on high for 3-3 1/2 minutes. As microwave power varies, you want to cook the sugar until the water boils off and the sugar turns a lovely pale, caramel color. If you use the clear glass cup, you can easily see as the color changes. It happens quickly so no dawdling or talking on the phone. Stand with your cup of coffee and watch it.

Remove it carefully, it’ll burn you badly, and divide it evenly between the ramekins.

 

Here's the beauty shots in the microwave, 2 mins, 3 mins and 3 mins 45 seconds.  You really have to just stand there and wait until it's the color you like.  It'll go from perfect to burnt in no time so keep an eye on it.

 

      

Pour into the dry ramekins, evening.  If you are feeling brave then gently rotate the caramel around the sides but remember, this stuff will burn through you to the bone in a split second so unless you're brave, don't.

 
Scald 1 cup of milk; I scald it in the microwave. Scalding merely means to bring the milk to slightly below the boiling point. I’ll be honest, I have no idea what the scalding actually does to the milk but I’ve been scalding it forever so that’s what we will do. You should see small bubbles around the edge of the milk with the slightest wisp of steam from the top. In my microwave, it takes exactly 90 seconds.

In a bowl combine the egg, sugar, salt and vanilla. I cheated and added a yolk today because I felt like something a little richer but my "recipe" uses a single extra large egg  Slowly add the scalded milk and divide the mixture evening between the ramekins.  I whisked a little vigorously today, you really shouldn't have the bubbles, oh well, it'll still be delicious.
  

  

Add the recently boiled water to a level half way up the sides of the ramekins and bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, until the custard is just set. If it barely jiggles and if you slip a very tiny knife into it, it should come out clean.

Carefully remove the ramekins from the casserole dish and chill in the refrigerator, it might take up to 2 hours.

Turn the crème caramel out onto a plate or eat it straight from the ramekin. Cover them when they are cool and eat at will. There’s only the 4 so you won’t waste any, didn’t invest any real working time and it total cost was a little bit of sugar, 1 cup of milk and 1 egg. It’s impressive to make for company and it’s a lovely thing to make for yourself, or your family. As well, it’s a pretty sweet dessert for virtually nothing.

  

Put in the fridge and let it cool.  When it's cold throughout, run a knife around the edge and invert it on a plate, the caramel will run all over the place and the custard will be just firm and soft at the same time.  It can be cut and barely stays together.  Make it, you'll be happy.

  

 

/enjoy