After making the almond torte
(see last post),
I had 4 egg yolks leftover.
What to do?
What to do?
Lately, and this is unusual for me,
I've had a bit of a sweet tooth,
so a flan sounded like the perfect way to
utilize the extra yolks.
Looks pretty good, doesn't it.
And no, that's not pepper on the top
(which used to be the bottom).
It's vanilla bean seeds.
Step 1 ingredients for the flan:
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk (I used 1%.)
1 vanilla bean pod
pinch salt
I slit the pod open and scraped the seeds
into the milk/cream mixture.
I added the pod and a pinch of salt
and heated over low heat
until the milk came to a boil.
Remove from heat and let steep for 30 minutes.
For the caramel,
I poured 1/3 cup water onto 1 cup sugar.
Set over medium heat and bring to a boil.
I never stir my caramel.
I swirl it.
Keep cooking and swirling
Watch constantly, especially when the sugar
dissolves and it clears up.
Caramel can go from sweet perfection to bitter disaster
in a heartbeat.
You want a nice amber color.
Take it off just before you think it's ready
since it will keep on cooking.
Pour the caramel into individual ramekins
and swirl each one to coat the sides.
You need to work fast here
since the caramel sets quickly
when it hits the cool ramekins.
It's best to have an extra set of hands in the kitchen
to help swirl while you pour.
Or pour while you swirl.
Step 2 for the flan mixture:
I had 3 whole eggs,
which I whisked ...
then whisked in the 4 leftover yolks.
And here, I should have the picture of the sugar going in.
I didn't put in the picture of the 1/2 cup sugar
that goes in here,
because I FORGOT TO PUT THE SUGAR IN!
Curses.
I realized this just as I was taking the flans out of the oven.
This is why you do a mise en place.
Have all your ingredients at the ready,
double-checked off from the recipe.
After steeping the milk/cream/vanilla
mixture for 30 minutes,
I removed the vanilla bean pod
and scraped out more seeds.
Then whisked it into the eggs.
I poured the mixture into the ramekins.
This filled 9 different-sized ramekins.
Pour water halfway up the cups.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.
Let sit for a few minutes ...
... then I ran a knife around the edges
and inverted the flans onto my serving platter.
Do this while the flans are still hot
so all the caramel comes out.
Flans are ethereal.
Since I forgot to put the sugar in the flan,
I could sprinkle sugar on top,
take my faithful blow torch,
and make like a creme brulee.
There are always ways to correct one's mistakes,
although this flan was just fine without the sugar.
I absolutely love the texture of a flan.
It's smooth and silky and delightful.
And the thing is,
if I hadn't told Mr. Hawthorne I'd forgotten the sugar,
he never would have known.
They were delicious as is,
but sugar would have made them even better.
Yum!
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