Juan’s Flan the Easy Way

I once had a Spanish restaurant called Café Sevilla. We made Flan from scratch then but I’m too old and

tired to do anything the hard way when there is an easy way available. The easy way to make Flan is to buy the box and just add your own personal monkey

business to it………and this is mine. Various companies make the Instant Mix…….e.g.:

http://www.goya.com/english/recipes/recipe.html?recipeID=&isSearch=1&searchFor=flan&whichpage=1

http://brands.kraftfoods.com/jello/products/flavor-

finder/flan/http://www.dgari.com.mx/main.htm

http://www.mexgrocer.com/3336.htmlhttp://www.richscatering.com/Redbrick/brick_produc

ts.asp?id=223

Flan is just Flan but you can be creative with it and

make it something more. I like to put Fruit in and around mine and add extra

Caramel. Ingredients:

1. A box of Instant Flan Mix 2. Milk 3. Fruit……..I like Berries &

Pears…..Apples too 4. Caramel and Butterscotch

Topping……I like Smucker’s

http://www.smuckers.com/products/details.aspx?groupId=5&categoryId=14&flavorId=70

5. Mint Leaves for Garnish 6. 8 Custard Dishes 7. Apple Juice 8. A can of Whipped Cream

Topping……optional

Hoard some nice goodies

Squirt a good little pile of the Caramel into little custard dishes.

Most of the Instant Mix boxes come with a little packet of Caramel Syrup which you add to the

Topping. But be careful and read the instructions at the store to be sure if you want it. I know of at least one brand which requires that you buy the Caramel separately. Otherwise, just use the Topping in the

Squeeze Bottle.

You can use something like a muffin pan if you have to but later it is much harder to get the Flan out intact

and pretty. You are much better off with the little Custard dishes.

I put the Custard dishes in an oven pan and pour hot water around them to melt and blend the

Caramel……….you can just put the Muffin Pan in the oven for a few minutes to do this.

When it cools a little, I roll the Cups around at a

slight angle to make the Caramel stick to the sides.

Now pour the Milk (usually 2 cups but follow the

instructions on the box) in a Sauce Pan.

Bring it to a boil.

Dump in the packet of Flan Mix.

Beat the pie-whacky out of it.

Bring it to a boil again and cut off the

fire……………….careful, don’t let it boil over if you don’t want to clean up a big mess.

Pour it into a pitcher so you won’t make a mess when

you pour it into the cups. I find that, overall, I’m happier when I don’t make a mess.

Sometimes I like Black or Raspberries.

Sometimes, Strawberries or Cherries are

nice…………even Grapes. The berries are like the

little prizes we used to get in Crackerjacks boxes when I was a kid.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cracker_Jackhttp://www.nationwidecandy.com/CANDY/ItemRela

tions.asp?pmc=G-01&GROUP=18&CHOICE=47&gclid=CPPV6sK73

5kCFR7yDAodrBCAXQThe first guest to find one gets to throw it at any

other guest of their choosing.

Pour in the Flan.

And put it all in the Fridge.

At my first elementary school, there was a

Persimmon tree and a Pear tree behind the baseball diamond screen. We enjoyed climbing the trees and

getting pucker mouth from the persimmons that weren't ripe yet. We also liked to gorge ourselves on

the pears and have diarrhea later. As much fun as that was, I still like Pears.

Core the Pears or Apples and pour a little apple Juice

in a pan.

Cook the pears or Apples for just enough time to

soften them ever so slightly. The kind with the Red skin is, of course the prettiest.

And after the Flan has chilled and become firm,

comes the moment of truth.

Cover a cup of Flan with a saucer and then turn it

over. I forgot: you cloud run a knife around the edge first and this is especially important if you used a muffin pan. The idea is to have the Flan plop out intact on the plate. If you were dumb and used the muffin pan, you will have to try to dump the whole thing on a cookie sheet first and then try to scoop

each one up without dropping it on your shoe.

Arrange the Pears, and whatever other nice little thing you have, around the flan and squirt it all with some

Butterscotch Topping or some Whipped Cream……..or both.

Decorate all with some Mint Leaves and beware of

Beggars hangin’ around your kitchen door.