Whether it is a weekend or a day off work, making desserts in your spare time could be one of the best ways to make the most of your time. Since baking itself is therapeutic, you can plan an evening humming some songs and making a dessert for yourself and your loved ones. While cakes are too basic, you can step up by trying to make flan.
Flan is a silky custard which features a rich caramel topping that will surely satisfy your sweet tooth like nothing else. To treat yourself or your loved ones with “something sweet” after a meal, flan is an irresistible option. If you are making the caramel custard for the first time, here are a few handy tips that can help you get a flawless flan.
Pick The Right Ingredients
Picking the choicest ingredients is one of the basic steps you must follow to perfect your flan. The first step is to read the recipe a couple of times and then look for fresh ingredients, ensuring that you are using them at the right temperature.
Ensure A Silky Texture
A silky custard is what makes the flan perfect. To ensure a smooth and creamy flan, you should whisk whole eggs and yolks and gradually pour hot milk into the egg mixture while stirring to avoid them scrambling. Also, once the custard is ready, strain the custard to get rid of any lumps and ensure a silky texture.
Mastering The Caramel
One of the major differences between a regular vanilla custard and flan is the rich caramel layer. So, to make a silky bowl of flan, you need to make the caramel. You can do so by using fine sugar and cooking on low heat to prevent the sugar from burning. Another important tip is to wait for the sugar sugar to melt before stirring it. Once it caramelises, you can swirl it and wait further to get to its distinct deep colour.
Use A Water Bath
Using a water bath is important to ensure that the flan is evenly cooked. You can make a water bath by taking a large baking tray and filling it with hot water. Place the flan mould in the baking dish and ensure that the water level reaches half the height of the mould. Using a water bath will not just give you a creamier dessert but also ensure that the flan doesn’t crack.
Cool And Refrigerate
The last step is to be patient. Once the flan is ready, it is natural for you to get your mouth watery and an urge to dig in, but after taking it out of the oven, let it cool down to room temperature. Then, let the flan set in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, which ensures its flavours meld and keeps its shape intact.