A Flan to Remember

This recipe come courtesy of my BFF Anne. She herself is a great cook and someone who I go to for advice on anything kitchen and kitsch-en related. Anne and her husband, Luis, are a funny (in the ha ha sense) couple, like Lucy and Ricky. He's of Cuban descent and she (occasionally) has red hair and there is always some "splaining" to do. I will stop the comparisons there, because if I go any further Mark will start seeming too much like Fred and Ethel. Anyway, this recipe actually comes via Luis mother, Alicia. The way Anne tells it, Luis showed her how to make it once early in their relationship (some 22 years ago) and she's been doing it ever since. It is even the favorite birthday treat for their youngest son, Alex, who prefers it over a traditional flour cake with frosting year in and year out. It's just that good. She did make it for me once as well many years ago, and I remember it quite fondly, although I have never made it myself. Which is odd, considering I make panna cotta and creme brulee - both in the custardy dessert family. So here's what Anne says:
It is my mother-in law's recipe.  She is an excellent cook but only knows how to make 3 desserts.  Given that she is Cuban, flan is naturally one of them.  I think Luis is the one who showed me (and then never made it again).
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"An Affair to Remember" - one of the top ten best girls movie night movies ever. And I'm talking the 1957 version starring Deborah Kerr (not car) and Cary Grant (not Archie Leach). All aboard for a cruise full of romance when Nicky and Terrie meet on a transatlantic crossing to New York. There is instant chemistry but each is involved with someone else. They get to know one another while at sea, and Terrie soon finds there is more to Nickie than his playboy persona – he is actually an artist who has given up on his craft. She encourages him paint again. They decide to go home and meet in six months on top of the Empire State Building if they have shed their partners and are ready to embark on a relationship with each other. But, on the fateful day they are to meet, Terrie is stricken down by a car on her way to meet Nickie. He waits for hours, but finally concedes she is not coming, unaware of the accident. Terrie is paralyzed and fears Nickie wouldn’t want her now, and pines for him from her wheel chair. Distraught over the seemed rejection, Nickie begins to paint again and gets a gallery to sell his art. Terrie happens upon the gallery and convinces the owner to give her one of his paintings for she is now penniless. Nickie finally tracks her down and confronts her in her apartment, angered that she failed to keep their date, only to spot the wheelchair and realize her paralysis and that she is the one with his painting. The lovers embrace, cue music, and scene.

The Recipe:

Flan de vanilla

1 cup whole milk (sometimes I use half & half)
1 can evap. Milk
1 can condensed milk
3 eggs (sometimes I throw in an extra yolk), beaten (no mention on how may eggs the hen laid)
Tsp vanilla
Pinch of salt
1 heaping cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350.  
Put sugar in small saucepan and on med heat let it dissolve into a caramel. This takes a while but when it is a dark brown it is ready.  Caution:  it is lava hot and can go from brown to burnt quickly. Carefully pour into dish.  I use a Pyrex loaf pan.Turn to coat sides.

Mix all other ingredients and strain through a sieve to get rid of all that nasty egg"gunk". Pour into the caramelized  dish and then put that into a 9x11 cake pan filled about halfway with very hot water. My mother-in-law calls this the Baño Maria. My mother says Bain Marie. Others (less continental) would say
water bath. The water should reach about 3/4 way up the side of the dish. 

Cooking time?  Oh boy.  I check it after 45 minutes. If it looks too brown on the top I cover it with foil. It usually takes a good hour. There will be some jiggling, but a knife should come out clean when it is done.  Let it rest on the counter at least 45 minutes and then refrigerate.

When it is cold, run a knife along the sides to loosen and then invert on serving plate. Scrape all the
yummy caramel on top of it. Does that make sense?

Bloggers Note: I have left the recipe as Anne wrote it. She thinks she's not funny or clever, but I beg to differ.