SERVES 6
We prefer to use low-fat milk in this recipe, although any type of milk (even skim) can be used, resulting in varying degrees of richness. Note that the custard will look barely set once it is ready to remove from the oven, but it will firm up as it chills in the refrigerator. The best way to clean stuck-on caramel from the cake pan after unmolding the flan is to fill it with boiling water and let it sit for a few minutes until the caramel dissolves. The baked flan, covered tightly with plastic wrap, can be refrigerated for up to 1 day before serving. See the sidebars that follow the recipe.
|
¼ |
cup water |
|
½ |
cup (3½ ounces) sugar |
|
2 |
large eggs plus 3 large yolks, room temperature |
|
1½ |
cups 1 or 2 percent low-fat milk |
|
1 |
(14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk |
|
¼ |
teaspoon grated lemon zest |
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Place dish towel on bottom of large roasting pan and place 9-inch round cake pan on towel. Bring kettle of water to boil.
2. Pour water into small saucepan, then pour sugar into center of pan (don’t let it hit the pan sides). Gently stir sugar with clean rubber spatula to wet it thoroughly. Bring to boil over medium-high heat and cook, without stirring, until the sugar has dissolved completely and liquid has faint golden color and registers about 300 degrees), 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until caramel has dark amber color (about 350 degrees), about 2 minutes longer. Carefully pour caramel into the cake pan. Let caramel cool slightly until hardened.
4. Whisk eggs and yolks together in medium bowl. Whisk in milk, sweetened condensed milk, and zest until thoroughly combined. Pour custard into cake pan.
5. Place roasting pan in oven and carefully pour enough boiling water into pan to reach halfway up sides of cake pan. Bake custard until center is just barely set, 30 to 40 minutes.
6. Carefully remove cake pan from water bath using sturdy spatula and let custard cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Cover cake pan tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours.
7. To serve, Run thin knife around cake pan to loosen custard. Place inverted serving platter over top and quickly flip custard onto platter, drizzling any extra caramel sauce over top (some caramel will remain stuck in cake pan).