Leche Flan

Posted by Dana Oshiro

Original image courtesy of Sweet Temptation.

A week ago I was in a taxi and the driver asked where I was from. I told him Vancouver (since nobody ever visits my hometown on purpose) and he countered by telling me his fiance was from Richmond BC. I was flabbergasted. It turns out his fiance is one year younger than me and related to some of the particularly tough Filipino kids I used to hang out with. I was so happy that I didn't have the heart to tell him he was dropping me off in the wrong spot. (I may have also been afraid to cross him) In any case, as I ran like a terrified rabbit through Golden Gate Park in the dark, the interaction got me thinking about Filipino food and how much I miss coming home to those smells.

If you've ever had Filipino food in a restaurant, chances are that pancit (rice noodles), lumpia (meat-stuffed egg rolls) and adobo (an amazing gooey chicken stew) were all on the menu. I know you ordered the lumpias. In the same way that chocolate-covered Pocky sticks or Virginia Slim cigarettes are dangerous, the lumpia is a silent killer. They seem small and harmless, but at the end of the night you'll find you've consumed more than 20. Filipino people themselves are also silent killers. They seem small and harmless, but at the end of the night you'll find yourself doing the Electric Slide having consumed more Tanqueray than you thought humanly possible. Ah the memories.

My favorite Filipino dish is rarely on the menu. Leche flan is a custard dessert made with condensed milk and a soft caramel top. I believe Mexican versions of this recipe use fewer eggs. However, it's made, it's really delicious.

LECHE FLAN
Ingredients:
1 can (390g) evaporated milk
1 can (390g) condensed milk
10 egg yolks
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or lemon essence
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup water

Directions:
1. CARAMELIZE THE TOP: In a saucepan, mix the sugar & water. Bring to a boil for a few minutes until the sugar caramelize. Pour the caramelized sugar into aluminum moulds - you can use any shape: oval, round or square. Spread the caramel on the bottom of the moulds.

2. POUR IN MILK FILLINGS: Mix well the evaporated milk, condensed milk, egg yolks and vanilla by hand or blender. Gently pour the mixture on top of the caramel on the aluminum moulds. Fill the moulds to about 1 to 1 1/4 inch thick. Cover moulds individually with aluminum foil.

3. BAKE: Place the moulds on a larger baking pan half filled with very hot water. Pre-heat oven to about 370 degrees before baking. Bake for 45 min.

4. COOL & SERVE: Let cool then refrigerate. Dessert is ready when knife comes clean. To serve, insert a thin knife around the edges of the mould to loosen the Leche Flan. Place a platter on top of the mould and quickly turn upside down to position the golden brown caramel on top. You can add berries to garnish or just serve as is.

Maraming Salamat! (Thanks a ton)

TAGS: Caramel, Condensed Milk, Custard, Eggs, Evaporated Milk, Leche Flan
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