Flan Antigua Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Combine 1 cup of the sugar and the water in a small, heavy saucepan and cook over low-medium heat until the sugar dissolves and turns a dark golden color (once it starts changing color, swirl it around so it caramelizes evenly). Divide among 6 ramekins and swirl around to coat the bottoms.
• Combine the half-and-half and canela (if using vanilla, split lengthwise with the tip of a knife and add the seeds and the pod) in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat and cover. Allow to steep for 15 minutes to extract the flavor. Meanwhile, mix together the egg yolks, the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, the vanilla, and the salt in a large heatproof mixing bowl placed on a towel to keep it from wobbling while whisking in the hot liquid. Slowly ladle about 1 cup of the hot infused milk into the egg mixture while whisking. Add the egg mixture back to the milk while you whisk gently (try to prevent excess air bubbles from forming). Strain and use right away or chill it over an ice bath to use another day (it can be made up to 3 days ahead).
• Place the prepared ramekins evenly spaced in a towel-lined baking dish to keep them from sliding. Divide the mixture among the ramekins and pop any bubbles with a spoon. Carefully pour hot water to fill three-fourths of the way up sides of the baking dish and cover loosely with aluminum foil (you can also make a few holes in the foil to prevent steaming). Bake until the flans are set around the edges but slightly jiggly in the center, about 30 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and remove the ramekins with a towel or tongs. Let cool, uncovered, until they feel cool to the touch and then chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours (this can be done a day in advance).
• To unmold, fill a bowl or small pot with 2 to 3 inches of very hot water. Dip a small, sharp knife in the hot water, dry it quickly, and run it around the edges of the ramekins. Dip the bottoms of the ramekins into the hot water for about 20 seconds and unmold onto a plate. The flan should slowly unmold but if it feels a bit stuck, run a knife around the edges once again. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Make caramel: Pour 1 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons water into a saucepan, preferably one that is white or light-colored inside. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, swirling the pan to combine the sugar and water. Do not stir. Let boil until deep amber in color, swirling the pan occasionally to caramelize evenly, about 10 minutes total. Watch the pan carefully after the mixture starts turning golden; it will quickly become light brown, then amber, then dark amber.
• Immediately pour caramel into a 9- by -5-inch loaf pan and swirl to coat the bottom evenly. Set aside to harden.
• Heat oven to 325 degrees.
• In a saucepan or microwaveable bowl or pitcher, combine milk, lemon zest, salt and remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar. Over low heat or in the microwave, heat through, stirring to melt the sugar. Set aside.
• In a blender (or using a hand blender in a pitcher), combine eggs, egg yolks and vanilla. Blend until smooth.
• Remove the lemon zest strips from the hot milk mixture. With the blender running, gradually pour the milk mixture into the eggs. Go very slowly at first so that the eggs don't cook from the heat of the milk. Blend just until smooth. Pour egg-milk mixture into the caramel-lined pan.
• Place a 9- by- 13-inch baking dish in the lower third of oven. Carefully place the loaf pan in the baking dish. Pour hot tap water into the baking dish until it comes about halfway up the sides of the loaf pan. (Don't worry if the oven seems to be losing heat; the flan will adjust.)
• Bake 55 to 65 minutes, until flan is set but still jiggly in the center. Remove flan from water bath and cool on a rack for 30 minutes. Refrigerate, uncovered, until cold and firm, at least 8 hours or up to 3 days. The caramel will soften as it sits.
• To unmold, run a thin sharp knife around the edges. Center a flat-bottomed platter or serving dish with a rim on top of the pan and, holding both, carefully flip the pan and plate together. The flan will fall onto the plate with a squelch; lift off the pan and let the caramel run all over the top. (If the flan doesn't come out, flip it back over and rest the bottom of the pan on a hot wet kitchen towel for a few minutes, to melt the caramel.) Serve chilled, in slices.