Easy and Delicious Pumpkin Flan with Rich Caramel Sauce
- Carbohydrate 8.43277129166667 g
- Cholesterol 223.421733333333 mg
- Fat 8.21939870833333 g
- Fiber 1.31886670263608 g
- Protein 8.51267725 g
- Saturated Fat 3.62302730833333 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (142g)
- Sodium 6395.037263657 mg
- Sugar 7.11390458903059 g
- Trans Fat 0.827089670833331 g
- Calories 140 calories
Step-by-step
- pre-heat oven to 325
- heat saucepan to low or medium low.
- put 1/3 cup of sugar (half of the total amt of sugar in the recipe) on the saucepan
- see link provided for pics on what this process looks like in greater detail, but in short you will have to wait about 8-10 minutes for the sugar to start to darken and carmelize. - http://www.wikihow.com/Caramelize-Sugar
- I pour the caramel into the ramekins just after it starts to smoke and has kind of a "copper" color tone to it
- pour all caramel b/t the 6 ramekins very quickly as it will harden very fast.
- if for some reason it hardens in the pan, you can "re-melt" it by just putting it back on the stove for a minute or two.
- Mix Milk and Evaporated Milk and bring to light boil, and then lower heat and simmer
- while milk and evaporated milk are simmering mix / whisk the eggs, egg yolks, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves and vanilla. I use an immersion mixer for this for less cleanup. While mixing, pour in remaining 1/3 C of sugar, and continue mixing.
- Add milk mixture slowly (or in portions) to egg mixture and continue to mix all ingredients
- Finally, add Pumpkin Butter to rest of mixture.
- Pour entire mixture over the caramelized sugar inside the ramekins. Keep in mind at these ramekins will eventually be inverted so the caramelized sugar will actually be the top of your flan.
- Place ramekins in a pan for a "water bath"
- Put maybe 1-2 cups water in microwave and heat for 1 minute and place the hot water in the pan (NOT the ramekins) . This will help the Flan mixture cook evenly.
- Place pan with water and ramekins in oven and bake for 45 min at 325.
- Serve warm out of the oven (after cooling for a few min) or refrigerate for a few hours or overnight and serve chilled.
Why is the caramel smoking so fast? Sugar transitions rapidly from amber to bitter once the moisture evaporates, meaning heat control during the initial melting phase dictates whether the sauce tastes sweet or acrid. Keep the burner at low or medium-low and avoid stirring with utensils that introduce crystals.
Executing the Custard Base and Water Bath
Blending whole milk and evaporated milk with warm spices requires tempering so the hot dairy does not scramble the whole eggs and extra yolks. Pour the heated milk slowly into the whisked egg mixture while keeping the blades moving constantly. Pumpkin butter introduces dense fruit solids, which alters the standard custard weight. Pouring the combined liquid into individual ramekins containing hardened caramel sets up the baking architecture. Place those ramekins inside a larger roasting pan filled with one to two cups of hot water to insulate the delicate proteins against direct oven heat. Bake the setup at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes. Judge doneness by watching the edges; the custard should appear set while the center retains a slight, deliberate jiggle.
- Caramel hardens instantly upon contact with cold ceramic vessels. Reheat the saucepan briefly on the stove if the sugar solidifies before dividing.
- Immersion blenders minimize cleanup when incorporating spices and dairy into eggs.
- Chilling the baked flan overnight firms the structure thoroughly before inversion.
