Dulce de Leche Flan

[kirra]

Dulce de Leche Flan
Chef Francis Mallman

Dulce de leche, a dense, creamy caramelized milk "jam," is Argentina's favorite homegrown postre (dessert). As an accompaniment to a simple peeled banana, it is Argentine childhood incarnate, and its appearance at the table is sure to trigger Proustian flights of memory and rapture in adults.

Flan de dulce de leche is a classic recipe that tends to be permanently bookmarked in kitchen-scarred copies of El Libro de Doña Petrona, the scriptural cookbook that is Argentina's equivalent of Fannie Farmer. Richer than any flan you've ever had.

Ingredients:

Dulce de Leche:

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 quart whole milk
4 cups sugar

Flans:

1 large egg
8 large egg yolks

Caramel:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water

Preparation:

Make dulce de leche:
Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into a large heavy saucepan and stir in pods, milk, and sugar. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer, then place a small saucer upside down in pot to keep mixture from sticking to bottom or forming a crust. Cook over very low heat, stirring occasionally, until thick and brown, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Cool.

Make caramel:
Preheat oven to 325° F. Place eight 6-ounce ramekins in shallow baking pan.

Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in small saucepan with pouring lip. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan.

Immediately pour caramel into ramekins, tilting and rotating ramekins to coat bottom and rewarming caramel over medium heat if it gets too thick.

Make flans:
Whisk together egg and yolks in large bowl. Whisk in dulce de leche. Strain mixture through sieve into large measuring cup and pour into ramekins, diving evenly.

Place baking pan in oven. Pour enough hot water into pan to come two-thirds up sides of ramekins. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes. Tent foil to vent steam and continue to bake 10 to 15 minutes, until flans are set around edges but still slightly wobbly in centers.

Using metal spatula, transfer flans in ramekins to rack; cool 30 minutes. Chill at least 3 hours and up to 2 days. To unmold flans, run a small knife around edges to loosen. Invert onto plates.

Note: Placing the baking pan in the oven before you add the hot water helps prevent spilling. Use a small cup with a lip to pour evenly. Be sure to add enough water to come most of the way up the sides of the ramekins; this ensures even cooking. Be sure to chill the flans completely before unmolding.