Caramel Flan
This elegant dessert is made in ramekins and includes a caramel sauce.
Makes 8 servings
Gelatin mixture: 1⁄4 cup water 1 envelope gelatin Caramel sauce: 2⁄3 cup sugar
4 tablespoons boiling water (divided in half)
Custard:
4 extra-large egg yolks 1⁄3 heaping cup sugar
1 3⁄4 cups whole milk (divided)
12⁄ cup heavy whipping cream
2 heaping teaspoons vanilla extract
For gelatin mixture: Add water to gelatin and let stand 1 minute. Then microwave on high power 30 seconds. Remove from microwave, stir and set aside.
To make caramel sauce: Set eight 4-ounce ramekins in hot water to warm up while making caramel sauce.
Using a small saucepan over low heat, combine sugar and 2 tablespoons of the boiling water. Stir and cook slowly until sugar dissolves.
Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Watch carefully, without stirring, adjusting heat so that mixture remains at a slow boil. When mixture turns to a medium amber color, remove from heat. Carefully pour in remaining 2 tablespoons boiling water. When mixture has cooled slightly, stir until the water is mixed in well. Pour sauce into the warmed ramekins and set aside.
For custard: Using a mixer, whisk egg yolks with sugar until very light in color and creamy and the sugar has dissolved completely.
Warm 1 cup milk in a saucepan, and then very slowly (adding only droplets) whisk the warm milk into the egg yolk/sugar mixture. Return the tempered egg mixture to the still-warm saucepan. Stir constantly over medium-low heat to a temperature of 160 degrees.
Thoroughly mix the prepared gelatin into the mixture. Whisk in remaining 3⁄4 cup whole milk, the heavy whipping cream and the vanilla.
Pour custard into the eight caramel-lined ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to three days.
Serve by inverting ramekins onto a rimmed saucer.