CARAMEL CUSTARD FLAN (Crème Caramel)

Ready for the Easter dessert table: this custard with its slightly bitter caramel topping and its creamy texture, in my opinion, is one of the best desserts ever! It's been a favourite since childhood and I can report that it's loved by all the family. It isn't difficult to make but it does require lots of steps. The results are worth it.

Have all the ingredients at the ready before you begin. Care should be taken not to burn one's hands: use oven mitts and other precautions because to make this dessert you'll need to work quickly and with lots of hot ingredients. Carefully tempering the eggs so that they don't curdle is a must. Other than that ... be confident! And enjoy some crème caramel once in a while. It's just a super-yummy experience!!!

To prepare the baking pans:

1. The custard will need to be baked in a water bath. Therefore, have some boiling hot water at the ready. Heating it in a tea kettle would be very expedient: you may then pour it directly into the bain-marie from the tea kettle.
2. Have a roasting pan (about 9 x13 inches in size) and one round 8-inch cake pan at the ready. The larger pan will be used to hold water for the bain-marie. 
3. Preheat the oven to 350 F. 
4. Place the cake pan in the oven to allow it to heat up before the caramel is added.

To make the caramel:

1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) water
two drops of lemon extract

1. Add all the ingredients into a saucepan and stir.
2. Cook over medium heat until the sugar begins to take on a caramel colour. This should take about five minutes.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat; do not allow the caramel to burn. 
4. Carefully, remove the cake pan from the oven but do not turn off the oven. 
5. Pour the caramel into the pan and swirl it around so that it coats the bottom of the pan evenly. 
6. Set aside.

For the custard:

2 cups heavy cream
1 and 1/3 cup whole milk
4 eggs
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Bring the cream and milk to a boil.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, yolks and sugar. Using a handheld mixer works well! 
3. Stir in the vanilla.
4. The milk and egg mixtures will need to be combined. Begin by tempering the eggs: 
5. While whisking, very slowly add a ladleful of the milk mixture. In the same fashion add a second ladleful. Keep whisking: this way the eggs won't curdle as the hot liquid is being introduced. 
6. Once the initial batches of liquid are added, slowly begin adding the rest while still whisking. 

To make the flan:

1. Pour the custard onto the caramel-lined cake pan.
2. Place the cake pan inside the larger baking pan.
3. Place the two pans in the oven but don't shut the oven door just yet.
4. Careful - use oven mitts to avoid burns: pour hot water inside the large pan, allowing it to surround the cake pan. Let the water come halfway up the cake pan. Close the oven door.
5. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a knife into the centre of the custard. It should come out clean.
6. Carefully remove the whole contraption from the oven.
7. Transfer the cake pan to a cooling rack. Run a knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the flan. Allow it to cool for about an hour.
8. Cover, place in the refrigerator and let chill for six hours minimum. 
9. When ready to serve, run a knife once again between the custard and the pan.
10. Invert the flan onto a rimmed serving platter. It should easily come out of the pan. Most of the caramel sauce will stay on top although some of it will run down the sides making for a lovely decoration.