By Kelly Bogard
January is National Baking Month. And for some of us, it’s like getting an extra holiday after the holidays.
Baking can be therapeutic. It’s a creative outlet, stimulates the senses and serves as nourishment. The smells that fill the kitchen are an added bonus.
And baking for entertaining, well, that’s where we get to bring everyone together—friends, neighbors, family. That’s what I enjoy the most.
From cookies to cakes to pies, I always try to match a sweet baked good to the reason for the get-together. But sometimes allergies and intolerance can be problematic in baking. Like Celiac Disease or a gluten intolerance. Baking for someone with a condition such as these can be challenging, but I have a solution for you in this week’s recipe.
For Flan, you will need…
8 glass or ceramic ramekin dishes
4 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 can evaporated milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 vanilla bean, scraped
1 tsp. orange zest
As you can see from the ingredient list above, gluten isn’t included. However, please be sure to check the labels on the milks if you have any concerns.
Flan has a creamy texture that isn’t too sweet. It reminds me of a less creamy cheesecake without the crust. They taste amazing and have quite a showstopper appearance when served.
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. While the oven is heating, place the sugar in a small saucepan and melt over medium heat, stirring to keep the sugar from burning. Please remember to be careful of the liquid sugar. It will burn badly if it gets on your skin.
Once the sugar is a light golden color, remove it from the heat and pour a very thin layer in each of the ramekins. Just enough to coat the bottom. Set aside to cool.
Whisk together the eggs and milk in a large bowl. Once everything is combined, add the vanilla bean scrapings and orange zest.
Pour the egg mixture into each ramekin, filling 3/4-way full. You will hear cracking. Don’t worry. It is just the caramel breaking up after cooling.
Place the individual flans in a large baking dish and add water to the dish, creating a water bath. You want the water to go up about halfway on the outside of the ramekins. Be careful not to get the water in the cups with the flan. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the centers are set. You can test with a toothpick like you would a regular cake.
Allow the flans to cool at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes before serving. If you are making them ahead of time, let them cool for 20 minutes before putting them in the refrigerator and then allow them sit out for 30 minutes before serving. To serve, run a knife around the edge of the ramekin to loosen the edges. Then, simply place a plate over the ramekin and flip over so the flan falls out of the cup and onto the plate. 
This recipe is definitely fun to make and serve. And it’s nice to be able to fix something for a friend who can’t have gluten. Happy Baking Month and from all of us at Texas Table Top, enjoy!
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 45 minutes |
| Passive Time | 1 hour |
| Servings |
servings
|
- 8 ramekins glass or ceramic
- 4 eggs
- 1 c. sugar
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 1 can sweetened condensed mik
- 1 vanilla bean scraped
- 1 tsp. orange zest
Ingredients
|
|
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Melt sugar over medium heat. Stir to keep the sugar from burning.
- Remove melted sugar from heat when golden.
- Pour a very thin layer in each of the ramekins.
- Set aside to cool.
- Whisk together the eggs and milk in a large bowl.
- Add the vanilla bean scrapings and orange zest.
- Pour the egg mixture into each ramekin, filling 3/4-way full.
- Place the individual flans in a large baking dish and add water halfway up the ramekin sides.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the centers are set.
- Allow the flans to cool at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes before serving.
- Run a knife around the edge of the ramekin to loosen the edges.
- Place a plate over the ramekin and flip over so the flan falls out.
***Please remember to be careful of the liquid sugar.
***If you are making them ahead of time, let them cool for 20 minutes before putting them in the refrigerator and then allow them to sit out for 30 minutes before serving.
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