VANILLA - CARAMEL FLAN

Tonight I went to dinner with some work friends at an amazing new restaurant in Dallas - Komali.  This was my kind of crowd - all conversation about the food in front of us, about past meals, and coordinating future meals in various cities across the globe.  Life is all about what we eat, is it not?  No?  Maybe it's just me.  Anyway, the server talked the whole meal about this amazing dessert with flan and chocolate cake layered on top of each other.  It was good - but it reminded me of my super simple and amazing Vanilla - Caramel Flan recipe.  I made this one night as a test for a dinner party and ended up eating all 6 servings in 2 days.  I shouldn't admit such things... but it's true.  I found this recipe in Cooking Light though, so I'm sure it had nothing to do with why my jeans were tight..... right???

VANILLA - CARAMEL FLAN

Cooking spray
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 cups fat-free milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 (14 oz) can fat free sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350.

Coat 12 (6 oz) custard cups with cooking spray.

Combine sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small, heavy saucepan.  Cook over medium-high heat, stirring gently as needed to dissolve sugar evenly.  Continue cooking 4 minutes or until golden, stirring constantly.  Immediately pour about 1 Tbsp sugar mixture into each of 12 prepared custard cups.

Combine fat-free milk, vanilla, cinnamon, eggs and condensed milk in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk until well blended.  Pour 1/2 cup milk mixture into each custard cup.  Place cups in a jelly-roll pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1/4 inch.  Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove cups from pan; cool completely on a wire rack.  Cover and chill at least 3 hours.  (Can chill overnight for a great make ahead dessert.)

Loosen edges of custards with a knife or rubber spatula.  Place a dessert plat, upside down, on top of each custard cup; invert custard onto each of 12 plates.  Drizzle any remaining caramelized syrup over each custard. 


*214 Calories calories per custard.

Source:  Cooking Light