Never underestimate the power of FLAN!

Lately, my girls and I have been watching season 1 of Sabrina the Teenage Witch on Hulu. Here's a quick shout out to Hulu and Netflix for showing all of my favorite 80's and 90's shows like Saved by the Bell, Jem and the Holograms and Sabrina....HOLLA! My kids love these shows as much as I do. Anyhow, the most recent episode we watched featured Flan and I realized that I needed to share my recipe for flan so others
can love it as much as I do. Check out this clip from the show:

Now check out this picture of the creamy yumminess that is real mexican flan...

Unfortunately, I got so excited about the eating part that I forgot to take a picture of a properly plated flan,  UPDATE! I found the pictures and trust me, it tastes FANTASTIC! 

I used to think that I didn't like flan. You see I had eaten it before during a fiesta in my second year Spanish class in high school. What I didn't realize is that the "chef", aka teenager, had used a box mix from the Jell-O aisle and that is NOT what flan is supposed to taste like. My husband finally convinced me to try it at the Mexican restaurant and I fell in love. I might have actually taken it from him forcefully and eaten the whole thing by myself. Well, as I mentioned in my previous post about Cheese Dip there was a waiter there who was free with the recipes and I know how to make it now!!!! Of course, I, being the sweetheart that I am, am going to share the recipe for my Mexican husband approved flan with you. You can thank me in the comments. Click here for the printable version.

You will need:

1 cup + 1/2 cup sugar separated

1/2 cup water 

6 large eggs

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

2 13 oz cans evaporated milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp cinnamon (optional)

Prepare a water bath for your flan. I usually put my empty dish or dishes in a cake pan and then fill it with water. Put the water bath in the oven and preheat to 325. Pour 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water into a small saucepan and stir to mix. Turn heat to medium high and bring to a boil. DO NOT STIR it after it comes to a boil.

You want to caramelize it. It will take a while, but once it starts to turn yellowish you need to watch it closely. Once it is golden you need to remove it from the heat and pour it into the dish that you will be using for your flan. It is better to take it off the heat a bit early then to let it cook too long. It will continue to cook until you pour it into the dish so if in doubt, remove it from the heat.

  Sometimes I use 1 cup sized ramekins (this makes about 7 or 8) and sometimes I use one big bowl. Either way pour it into your dish and turn the dish to coat it. It will harden as you turn the dish and make a nice little coating.

Now it's time to mix the flan! Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and beat them well. Next add the milks, vanilla and cinnamon and mix well.

Pour the mixture into your ramekins or ovenproof dish, place in your water bath and bake 45 - 60 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

 Chill, run a knife around the edges to loosen and invert it over a plate. The caramel will come oozing over the sides. 

Once again, sorry for the crappy photography, I just couldn't wait to eat it!!! I'm so proud of myself for finding the good pictures that I actually took! Go enjoy the wobble-dy jobble-dy goodness that is Flan!