It's amazing the many kinds of baked desserts that chefs can derive from a custard base. Variations range from large desserts such as cheesecake and clafoutis to smaller ones such as soufflé and crème brûlée. And then there's those that can fit into either category like flan, for example. We've already covered a majority of custard variations on this site, including the ones just mentioned.

So why stop there?

Flan has a very rich, creamy pudding quality to it that's easily enjoyable and deserves to be sampled by those ignorant of baked custards. It's also very easy to make these days. It's no longer necessary to cook the custard before baking it and it doesn't have to be surrounded by a sponge as a traditional recipe would call for. The following recipe drives this point home. It's an Orange flavored custard, one of several popular variations out there.

A simple flan

Caramel Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup water

Flan Ingredients:

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 oz orange liqueur
  • 2 tsp orange zest
  • 1/2 vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt
  • Boiling water as needed

Caramel Directions:

  1. Combine the water and granulated sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook until the sugar turns golden brown, stirring occasionally.
  2. Remove the caramel from the heat and immediately pour into a baking dish. Tilt the dish to evenly coat the bottom. Set to cool for 10-15 minutes or until hardened.

Flan Directions:

  1. Preheat an oven to 160°C. Pour water into a saucepan and bring to a slow boil. Do not over boil.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks, sugar, salt, zest, vanilla extract, and liqueur. Whisk in the milk and orange juice until completely incorporated. Pour the custard gently over the caramel in the baking dish. Place the baking dish into the center of a hotel pan and fill the pan halfway up with the boiled water.
  3. Place the hotel pan into the preheated oven and bake the flan for 30-40 minutes or until it almost sets, but with a slightly soft center.
  4. Remove the hotel pan from the oven but leave the baking dish and water inside. Leave to cool.
  5. When the flan completely cools, chill in a refrigerator.
  6. When it times to serve, run a sharp knife around the edges of the baking dish, making sure to reach the bottom where the caramel is. Place a plate on top of the dish, then carefully invert it. If it doesn't slide out immediately. Reinvert and run the knife again. Once removed, cut into equal portions and serve.