Los Postres

It’s been said many times that life is short, so eat dessert first, though this time, I saved it for last. I won’t say I saved the best for last, because my whole menu was pretty fabulous, even if I do say so myself, however, I will say I saved the sweetest for last. 🙂

I had three completely different desserts on the menu for my Old World/New World fiesta. Old World/New World Fiesta First, I had some chocolate dipped strawberries. No, I did not make those, but bought them instead. How could I resist? They were buy one get 1/2 off the other, and who doesn’t love big beautiful chocolate dipped strawberries, right?!

I also had some churros with chocolate sauce, which is a very Spanish dessert, especially in Madrid. Again, I purchased the mini churros, then made a chocolate ganache to dip them in. I liked my version much better than what we had in Madrid though. In Madrid, the sauce was way too thin, and it was more like dipping the churros in hot chocolate. I made my sauce a lot thicker and the chocolate was able to stick to the churros, and you could really enjoy the flavors of both. During the 16th century, famed Spanish explorers brought Churros to every port of the new world. They quickly became local favorites and this may be why many countries claim Churros as their own. When Hernando Cortez returned to Spain with the secret of Aztec chocolate, the custom of chocolate con churros began. The main difference between Mexican and Spanish churros is cinnamon. In Spain, churros are only coated in sugar and served with a chocolate dipping sauce. In Mexico, churros are coated in a sugar and cinnamon mixture and can be eaten alone or with dipping sauces like chocolate or caramel.

My third and final dessert for my fiesta was some traditional flan or Spanish custard.

Flan has been around since the Ancient Roman times, though it has had quite a few transformations since its early days. The Romans were the first known civilization to domesticate chickens for farming purposes. With an abundance of eggs at their disposal, they began creating dishes that featured the edible egg as its main ingredient. Hence the birth of flan. The word flan is the French equivalent of the Latin word fladon, which comes from the Old High German word “flado,” meaning “flat cake.” Flan was once a savory dish, usually made from fish or meat. The Spanish were the first people to make flan into a dessert and to top it with a caramel sauce, giving us the version of flan we know and love today. Flan, or creme caramel, or custard, is known to everyone around the world, and goes by many different names. Flan is very popular in all of Spain and the Latino world.

Flan is usually prepared in smaller, individual dishes, but because I was making mine for a few people, I decided to make it in a 9×13 baking dish instead. The flavor and consistency were still the same, and that it is really all the matters. It was very tasty, with a “burnt” caramel sauce, and was light and creamy; exactly how it was supposed to be too. As with anything, there are many different versions and you can top flan with anything you like, such as fruit, chocolate or whipped cream, or anything else that tickles your fancy. You can add a little coffee flavor, or chocolate flavor, or you can add some fruit puree too it. My favorite way to enjoy flan is just the plain, original way, with the caramel sauce, and maybe a little whipped cream on top.

Spanish Flan

This delicious dessert only requires a few basic, simple ingredients. It is all in the techniques of how it is made that make the difference between a good flan and a great flan. I doubled my recipe, but I will give you the actual recipe, to make in smaller individual servings, if you like, though you can still present it however you choose to. Some people like to bake it in a cake pan, or like I did, a 9×13 baking dish.

4 cups milk

1 TBSP vanilla

6 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup sugar for the caramel topping

Preheat the oven to 350* F or 180*C.

Make the caramel sauce by simply melting the sugar in a saucepan and letting it turn into a deep caramel color. Don’t stir, just move the pan to evenly coat the bottom of the pan with the melting sugar. Once the sugar starts to caramelize, it can easily burn very quickly if you are not careful. Once the sauce is made, spray your baking dishes with cooking spray and add it to the bottom of your ramekins or pan, and spread evenly around the bottom.

Place the baking dishes in a bain marie, or a water bath, with boiling water, to ensure the eggs don’t scramble or cook to fast. The key to a good flan is to have it be very smooth and creamy all throughout.

Put the milk in a saucepan and heat to just below the boiling point.

Whisk the eggs, then add the sugar, milk and vanilla, and whisk everything together. Carefully pour the mixture into the baking dishes.

Bake uncovered for about 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. You want this to be very silky. Once the flan is cooled, chill it in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving.

To serve, take a butter knife and gently cut around the edges. If using individual ramekins, top the ramekin with a plate and carefully flip over. The custard will come out and the caramel sauce will be on top. If you are making it either a cake pan, or a 9×13 baking pan like I did, cut the flan into individual serving portions and serve with a spatula. The caramel may be on the bottom, but the flavors will still be the same. Either way, I promise this beloved dessert will melt in your mouth and you will be very happy and content indeed. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.