Queen of Flan
When the family OG “flan maker” aka my Aunt Ester asked me years ago how I make my flan - that was the official confirmation and recognition I’ve perfected the dessert!
In our Filipino culture, leche flan is a very popular dessert served during the holidays, especially around Christmas time! Growing up, my aunt always hosted our big family Christmas Noche Buena and Christmas day parties and flan was always there! Prepping for our big celebration, as always, lots of people in the kitchen working and cooking, and for me I was always excited in helping out to prep our desserts (Filipinos have sweet tooth, we love our sweets!). With flan making, I’ve found out at an early age that vanilla taste is NOT as good as its smell!
Fast forward to early 90s when we migrated to the US, i was missing taste of home especially around the holidays. It took me 10 years (since i only make it 2-3x a year) to perfect this dish as i tweaked my aunt’s original recipe. I even forgot if she shared me her actual recipe with actual measurements and all. Filipino cooking style and approach is more of “add this, little bit of that, taste test, and repeat! I still steam my flan and never tried to bake it in the oven as most recipes online suggest. For sure, 100 percent guaranteed, this recipe will be passed down to my daughter! =)
To this day, i still make my signature flan 2-3 times a year (Thanksgiving, Christmas and NY). I am the only ONE in the family who makes flan (yes, seriously!) and yes - am claiming myself as the ‘Queen of Flan’ probably until my daughter starts making it. She loves helping out in the kitchen and enjoy baking pies and cookies with her Dad (i do NOT bake..)
Finally after all these years, I’ve wrote down my recipe. Enjoy and if you give it a try - let me know!
STEP ONE
Caramelize the pan (2 pans for the recipe below)
- Add 1 tablespoon of sugar to each pan, caramelize it (set the stove to low and keep stirring the sugar to make sure it won't get burned). Set it aside to cool, if it starts cracking it's OK
Repeat for the other pan
Let both cool down. (~15 minutes) . (If you followed the steps correctly, it should look like the pic above)
Unfortunately & fortunately (since i always find these at Filipino grocery stores, Hello Seafood City Carson!), i rely on these flan molders. If you ask me to make a big batch, i probably won’t even get it right! Stick with the steps and the “cooking paraphernalia” ;-)
STEP TWO (as caramelized sugar is cooling down..)
10 small egg yolks only (make sure no whites are added)
1 can evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup of white sugar (i taste test the mix for sweetness level, you might want to start with half a cup first)
Mix them all up!
STEP THREE
Pour the mixture into the cooled pans. Remove the bubbles on top using a spoon, i like to remove all the air bubbles for smooth consistency and finished product has no "air holes" (i know, it’s a word! ha ha)
STEP FOUR
Using a huge pan, fill it with water (2-3 inches). (Use a rack like the pic below)
Steam for 20 minutes. Toothpick check, stick a toothpick into the mixture, if it comes back clean, it’s done!
Cool it off for 15 minutes. Then enjoy or put it in the fridge!
Steaming rack (my lifesaver)
