Steam-Baked Spanish-Style Flan
Ali Clarke and Santos Loo
October 17, 2022
Flan is one of those desserts that is amazing year round, but we especially like making it over the holidays when friends and family come over. Usually you have to bake the flan in a water bath, but carefully adding hot water to a roasting pan around the flan and then removing the hot flan from the hot water is always difficult. With the Anova Precision Oven, there’s no water bath needed; just bake the flan with the steam setting!
This classic Spanish style flan uses staple pantry ingredients and cookware, and it is so easy to put together. The end result is a silky, creamy custard that is topped with a burnt sugar caramel. This recipe easily serves a crowd and can be made in advance so you’re always ready for holiday guests.
Notes: Once you invert the flan, you can loosely cover with plastic wrap and store overnight before serving. Any leftovers will hold in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 more days.
Serves
8
Prep Time
00:15
Cook Time
00:45
3.75 (8)
623
Ingredients
1 cup (196g)
granulated sugar
1 Tbsp (14g)
fresh lemon juice
2 cups (494g)
whole milk
1 (14-oz / 397g) can
sweetened condensed milk (1⅓ to 1½ cups)
6 large
eggs (304g)
1 Tbsp (12g)
vanilla extract
Steps
1. Preheat the Oven
Rack
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: 50%
Temp: 275°F
Heat: Bottom
2. Make the Caramel
Place an 8-inch square baking dish near your stove so that it is ready to receive the caramel. Combine the sugar and lemon juice in a medium saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Let the sugar melt while gently swirling the pot. Once the sugar is liquified, gently stir with a wooden spoon to evenly combine the lemon juice and sugar. Be sure that you do not splash the sugar up the sides of the pan. Continue to cook the sugar until it begins to bubble vigorously and turns a dark amber color (the color of maple syrup), about 8 minutes. Carefully pour the sugar into the baking dish. Quickly and carefully tilt the dish around to make sure the caramel coats the entire bottom. Set aside to cool.
3. Make the Egg Custard
In a large bowl, whisk together the whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, and vanilla until evenly combined. To ensure a perfectly smooth flan, you can strain the egg mixture through a medium-mesh strainer into the baking dish but this is optional.
4. Bake the Flan
Rack
Place the flan in the oven and bake until the custard puffs slightly around the edges and is set in the center but still jiggles slightly, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool at room temperature for 1 hour.
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: 50%
Temp: 275°F
Heat: Bottom
00:45 Timer
5. Set the Flan
After 1 hour at room temperature, cover the flan with plastic wrap and place the baking dish in the refrigerator for 3 hours to set the flan completely.
6. Serve the Flan
Run a paring knife around the edges of the flan. Place a serving dish with a small lip face-down on top of the baking dish. Place one hand on the bottom of the serving dish and one hand firmly on the bottom of the baking dish and quickly invert the flan onto the serving dish. Remove the baking dish, making sure to allow any excess caramel to pour over the top of the flan. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator loosely covered with plastic wrap if making the night before.
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