Sunday, March 22, 2009

Let's Use Up Some More Egg Yolks.

Last week, if you recall, I made a batch of beef consomme, so I had LOTS of egg yolks leftover, since I use the whites to clarify my stock. What to do... What to do... Well you can't go wrong with either creme brulee or flan, so I decided on the caramel flan.
The method came from Dorie Greenspan's Baking - From My Home To Yours. The amounts of the ingredients are mine. First I put an 8 inch cake pan in the oven, and heated the oven to 350. I lined a 9 x 13 baking pan with a double thickness of paper towels and set it aside. Then brought water to a boil, and set aside. Now, the caramel.
I mixed 1/3 cup sugar with 3 TB water and a few drops of lemon juice.
I don't bother to stir to mix. I just swirl the pan to wash the crystals down from the sides. Bring to a boil.
Boil until the liquid turns an amber-colored caramel.
Then pour into the heated cake pan and swirl around. (Dorie recommends not non-stick pans, but I only had non-stick.) Set aside while you prepare the custard filling.
I brought 2 two cups heavy cream and 1 cup milk just to a boil and set aside.
I poured my leftover yolks into a measuring cup and had 150 ML. No, I'm not going metric on you, but that was more exact than saying oh... between 1/2 cup and 2/3 cup but closer to 2/3.
Whisk the yolks until lemon colored.
Then gradually add in 3/4 cup sugar.
Add in 2 teaspoons vanilla.
Pour in a little milk to temper the yolks so they don't curdle. Then slowly whisk in the rest of the milk.
Here's the custard prepared pan.
Set the pan in the paper towel-lined baking dish and pour in the custard mixture.
Carefully set in the preheated oven and pour the hot water half-way up the pan.
I baked for about 1 hour until the custard was set. (Add water as needed to replenish.) I refrigerated over night.
Then inverted on a platter this morning.
I had to have a slice for breakfast.
This, my friends, is the breakfast of champions.
Rich, silky, smooth, decadent.
My mouth waters just thinking about it. It is that good.

3 comments:

Sara said...

I love flan, you just reminded me I haven't made it in ages.

Kathy said...

That's my kind of breakfast.

Hairball T. Hairball said...

Thanks for sharing this! Most flan recipes use ramekins and I don't have enough.