Orange-Cinnamon Flan
An extra-rich custard in a pool of brown caramel sauce, flan is one of the most beloved of Latin desserts. Sweet almost to the point of sinfulness, it is a great dish for entertaining because it must be made well ahead of serving in order to chill. Here is a recipe from Florida, where both orange groves and Latino cooks flourish.
MAKES 6-8 SERVINGS
Caramel
1 1/4 cups or 250 g sugar
Custard
One 14-oz. / 430-g can condensed sweetened milk
One 12-oz. / 340-g can evaporated milk
1 cup or 240 ml whole milk
Zest of 1/2 orange, removed from the orange in strips with a vegetable peeler
One 2-in. / 5-cm cinnamon stick
2 large eggs, plus 4 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
1
To make the caramel: Have ready one 9-in. / 23-cm metal cake pan with 2-in. / 5-cm sides. Bring the sugar and 1/3 cup/75 ml water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When the syrup boils, stop stirring and cook, occasionally swirling the pan by the handle, until the caramel is amber in color and very lightly smoking, about 5 minutes. Carefully pour the caramel into the cake pan. Protecting your hands with pot holders, quickly tilt and rotate the cake pan to coat the bottom and sides of the pan as well as possible with caramel.
2
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
3
To make the custard: Combine the condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk, orange zest, and cinnamon stick in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often to keep the sugars in the mixture from scorching. Remove from the heat and let steep for 15 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pressing hard on the zest with the back of a spoon.
4
Whisk the eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla together in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the warm milk mixture. Strain the custard through the sieve back into the bowl that held the milk mixture and pour into the cake pan. Place the cake pan in a larger roasting pan. Pour hot water into the roasting pan to come about one-third up the sides of the cake pan.
5
Bake until the custard is set and moves as a unit when the cake pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour. Remove the flan from the roasting pan and let cool to room temperature. Cover the flan with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 1 day.
6
Run a dinner knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the flan, being sure to reach the bottom on the pan to break the custard’s suction. Cover with a round serving platter. Holding the platter and cake pan together, invert them, and give them a strong shake to unmold the flan with its caramel. Serve chilled.
Orange-Cinnamon Flan
An extra-rich custard in a pool of brown caramel sauce, flan is one of the most beloved of Latin desserts. Sweet almost to the point of sinfulness, it is a great dish for entertaining because it must be made well ahead of serving in order to chill. Here is a recipe from Florida, where both orange groves and Latino cooks flourish.
MAKES 6-8 SERVINGS
Caramel
1 1/4 cups or 250 g sugar
Custard
One 14-oz. / 430-g can condensed sweetened milk
One 12-oz. / 340-g can evaporated milk
1 cup or 240 ml whole milk
Zest of 1/2 orange, removed from the orange in strips with a vegetable peeler
One 2-in. / 5-cm cinnamon stick
2 large eggs, plus 4 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
1
To make the caramel: Have ready one 9-in. / 23-cm metal cake pan with 2-in. / 5-cm sides. Bring the sugar and 1/3 cup/75 ml water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When the syrup boils, stop stirring and cook, occasionally swirling the pan by the handle, until the caramel is amber in color and very lightly smoking, about 5 minutes. Carefully pour the caramel into the cake pan. Protecting your hands with pot holders, quickly tilt and rotate the cake pan to coat the bottom and sides of the pan as well as possible with caramel.
2
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
3
To make the custard: Combine the condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk, orange zest, and cinnamon stick in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often to keep the sugars in the mixture from scorching. Remove from the heat and let steep for 15 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pressing hard on the zest with the back of a spoon.
4
Whisk the eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla together in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the warm milk mixture. Strain the custard through the sieve back into the bowl that held the milk mixture and pour into the cake pan. Place the cake pan in a larger roasting pan. Pour hot water into the roasting pan to come about one-third up the sides of the cake pan.
5
Bake until the custard is set and moves as a unit when the cake pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour. Remove the flan from the roasting pan and let cool to room temperature. Cover the flan with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 1 day.
6
Run a dinner knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the flan, being sure to reach the bottom on the pan to break the custard’s suction. Cover with a round serving platter. Holding the platter and cake pan together, invert them, and give them a strong shake to unmold the flan with its caramel. Serve chilled.
Orange-Cinnamon Flan
An extra-rich custard in a pool of brown caramel sauce, flan is one of the most beloved of Latin desserts. Sweet almost to the point of sinfulness, it is a great dish for entertaining because it must be made well ahead of serving in order to chill. Here is a recipe from Florida, where both orange groves and Latino cooks flourish.
MAKES 6-8 SERVINGS
Caramel
1 1/4 cups or 250 g sugar
Custard
One 14-oz. / 430-g can condensed sweetened milk
One 12-oz. / 340-g can evaporated milk
1 cup or 240 ml whole milk
Zest of 1/2 orange, removed from the orange in strips with a vegetable peeler
One 2-in. / 5-cm cinnamon stick
2 large eggs, plus 4 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
1
To make the caramel: Have ready one 9-in. / 23-cm metal cake pan with 2-in. / 5-cm sides. Bring the sugar and 1/3 cup/75 ml water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When the syrup boils, stop stirring and cook, occasionally swirling the pan by the handle, until the caramel is amber in color and very lightly smoking, about 5 minutes. Carefully pour the caramel into the cake pan. Protecting your hands with pot holders, quickly tilt and rotate the cake pan to coat the bottom and sides of the pan as well as possible with caramel.
2
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
3
To make the custard: Combine the condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk, orange zest, and cinnamon stick in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often to keep the sugars in the mixture from scorching. Remove from the heat and let steep for 15 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pressing hard on the zest with the back of a spoon.
4
Whisk the eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla together in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the warm milk mixture. Strain the custard through the sieve back into the bowl that held the milk mixture and pour into the cake pan. Place the cake pan in a larger roasting pan. Pour hot water into the roasting pan to come about one-third up the sides of the cake pan.
5
Bake until the custard is set and moves as a unit when the cake pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour. Remove the flan from the roasting pan and let cool to room temperature. Cover the flan with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 1 day.
6
Run a dinner knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the flan, being sure to reach the bottom on the pan to break the custard’s suction. Cover with a round serving platter. Holding the platter and cake pan together, invert them, and give them a strong shake to unmold the flan with its caramel. Serve chilled.
