A fridge full of flan

Flan is one of my favourite desserts. I adore how it quivers and the slightly bitter caramel brings back memories of all my aunts from Granada who had their fridges stuffed to the brim with cold and expectant flan-pregnant metallic tins just waiting to be unmolded.

This is the traditional recipe. Dainty individual flans are preferable to a large one, which takes longer to cook and does not look as pretty when served. Also I am very partial to whole milk especially organic milk from cows that are pasture-fed. There are many recipes made with condensed milk which give flans a different texture and in my opinion a too sweet taste. Condensed milk is perfectly fine if you have no access to fresh top-notch milk.

Flans should be quivering so the proportion of milk to eggs has to be just right. Too much egg or egg yolk at it becomes too stodgy and gelatin-like. Also watch your oven temperature if your flan is covered in little indentation bubbles it was too high.

Unmolding the flan should not be effortless after all it’s not a gelatine. Flans are texturally delicate affairs should dip briefly in hot water to release.The best ones should not have little indentation bubbles around them, although some chefs do this for effect as a link to the past and their mother's uncalibrated ovens.

Getting the right color, a not too pale caramel is very important. You want a slightly dark caramel which will taste slightly bitter to offset the sweet quality of the flan. The texture should be closer to Japanese Chawanmushi, creamy and silky, never stodgy. I serve them on their own but feel free to garnish with some ripe strawberries or poached plums.

I adore how it quivers and the slightly bitter caramel brings back memories of all my aunts from Granada who had their fridges stuffed to the brim with cold and expectant flan-pregnant metallic tins.

Traditional Caramel Flan

Ingredients

For caramelising the moulds

75g sugar

40g water

For the flan:

500g whole-milk

2 egg yolks

3 eggs

175g sugar

Prepare and ice bath to stop the caramel. Put the water in a small stainless steel pan with the sugar and bring to a boil. Do not stir.

Lay the molds in a baking tray. When the sugar becomes light brown wait for the color to turn a little bit darker. Stop the caramelising by putting the botton of pot in the ice bath (just the bottom!). Work quickly to coat all the molds. It will coat around 6.

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees.

Bring the milk to a boil and put aside. Whisk the egg yolks and eggs with the sugar. Incorporate the milk little by little. Strain through a small mesh strainer into a jug. Fill each mould with the mix.

Boil a full kettle. Place the deep baking tray in the oven. Carefully fill the baking tray with water reaching up to half the mould. This is called a bain marie. Close the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until just set. Very carefully take the baking tray out of the oven and cool down. Place in the refrigerator and unmould just before serving. I place them in slightly hot water to do this.

Enjoy!