Name: Flan de caramelo (Spanish caramel custard)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 430 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 125 g sugar; 125 ml water; 4 eggs; 2 egg yolks; 125 g sugar; 500 ml whole milk (3.5%); 0.5 vanilla pod, seeds (or grated lemon zest); 1 pinch salt; 1 tbsp brandy (optional)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 150 °C (top and bottom heat) and bring water to the boil for the water bath. Set out four ramekins.
Stir the sugar and water for the caramel in a pot until the sugar dissolves, then bring to the boil without stirring. As soon as it starts to colour, swirl the pot until the caramel is dark golden to amber.
Pour the caramel into the ramekins at once and tilt them so the base is evenly covered; careful, the ramekins get hot.
Whisk the eggs, egg yolks and sugar. Bring the milk to the boil, take it off the heat, let it cool briefly and stir in the vanilla seeds (or lemon zest), salt and brandy.
Slowly stir the milk into the egg mixture and pour the custard through a fine sieve into the ramekins.
Stand the ramekins in a baking dish or roasting pan, cover loosely with foil (the foil must not touch the custard) and pour in hot water to at least half the height of the ramekins.
Let set in the water bath for about 45 minutes, until the centre only wobbles slightly when shaken.
Take the ramekins out of the water bath, let cool to room temperature and then chill for several hours, ideally overnight.
To serve, dip each ramekin briefly in hot water, loosen the edge with a knife and turn the flan out onto a flat plate.

Drink with it

Aged rum · excellent match
Aged rum (ron añejo), neat or with an ice cube
Caramel, toffee and vanilla of the aged rum meet the burnt sugar and the egg custard.
Drinking rum neat: how to get to know a bottling
Mellow whisky · good match
Mild Irish or Speyside whisky, neat
Vanilla and honey of the whisky suit the creamy sweetness and let the caramel stand.
Whisky with food: cheese, chocolate, and savory dishes
Cognac and brandy · good match
Brandy de Jerez Solera Reserva or VSOP Cognac, neat
Dried fruit and vanilla from the barrel round off the caramel; the Spanish brandy even belongs in the custard in the original recipe.
Cognac and Armagnac: Two Origins for Brandy
Fortified wine · good match
Pedro Ximénez sherry
Raisin and caramel notes of the Pedro Ximénez mirror the dark caramel; the flan is lighter than the wine, though, so only a small sip.
Port wine: understanding Ruby, Tawny, and Vintage

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 150 °C (top and bottom heat) and bring water to the boil for the water bath. Set out four ramekins.
Stir the sugar and water for the caramel in a pot until the sugar dissolves, then bring to the boil without stirring. As soon as it starts to colour, swirl the pot until the caramel is dark golden to amber.
Pour the caramel into the ramekins at once and tilt them so the base is evenly covered; careful, the ramekins get hot.
Whisk the eggs, egg yolks and sugar. Bring the milk to the boil, take it off the heat, let it cool briefly and stir in the vanilla seeds (or lemon zest), salt and brandy.
Slowly stir the milk into the egg mixture and pour the custard through a fine sieve into the ramekins.
Stand the ramekins in a baking dish or roasting pan, cover loosely with foil (the foil must not touch the custard) and pour in hot water to at least half the height of the ramekins.
Let set in the water bath for about 45 minutes, until the centre only wobbles slightly when shaken.
Take the ramekins out of the water bath, let cool to room temperature and then chill for several hours, ideally overnight.
To serve, dip each ramekin briefly in hot water, loosen the edge with a knife and turn the flan out onto a flat plate.

Drink with it

Aged rum · excellent match
Aged rum (ron añejo), neat or with an ice cube
Caramel, toffee and vanilla of the aged rum meet the burnt sugar and the egg custard.
Drinking rum neat: how to get to know a bottling
Mellow whisky · good match
Mild Irish or Speyside whisky, neat
Vanilla and honey of the whisky suit the creamy sweetness and let the caramel stand.
Whisky with food: cheese, chocolate, and savory dishes
Cognac and brandy · good match
Brandy de Jerez Solera Reserva or VSOP Cognac, neat
Dried fruit and vanilla from the barrel round off the caramel; the Spanish brandy even belongs in the custard in the original recipe.
Cognac and Armagnac: Two Origins for Brandy
Fortified wine · good match
Pedro Ximénez sherry
Raisin and caramel notes of the Pedro Ximénez mirror the dark caramel; the flan is lighter than the wine, though, so only a small sip.
Port wine: understanding Ruby, Tawny, and Vintage

Flan de caramelo (Spanish caramel custard)

Preparation

Drink with it

Aged rum (ron añejo), neat or with an ice cube

Mild Irish or Speyside whisky, neat

Brandy de Jerez Solera Reserva or VSOP Cognac, neat

Pedro Ximénez sherry

This pairs well too.

Baba au Rhum

Baked Apples with Vanilla Sauce (Bratapfel)

Banana Cream Pie

Chocolate Brownies

Flan de caramelo (Spanish caramel custard)

Preparation

Drink with it

Aged rum (ron añejo), neat or with an ice cube

Mild Irish or Speyside whisky, neat

Brandy de Jerez Solera Reserva or VSOP Cognac, neat

Pedro Ximénez sherry

This pairs well too.

Baba au Rhum

Baked Apples with Vanilla Sauce (Bratapfel)

Banana Cream Pie

Chocolate Brownies