Learn how to make the classic European caramel and custard dessert, Flan. This recipe includes Port wine for a Portuguese spin.
Port Wine Flan
Learn how to make the classic European caramel and custard dessert, Flan. This recipe includes Port wine for a Portuguese spin.
Ingredients
Caramel
- 1¼ cup sugar
- 3 tbsp Port wine
- 3 tbsp water
- ⅛ tsp lemon juice or vinegar
Custard
- 7 eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- 3½ cups half and half
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
Caramel
- Into a small saucepan on medium heat, add all of the caramel ingredients. Continue to stir until it turns into a dark caramel. This will happen between 335°F - 350°F (170°C -177°C).
- Add 3 tablespoons of caramel to individual ramekins, will make enough for about 6, or pour all the caramel into a large serving dish (holds at least 5-6 cups of liquid) to create one large flan. Swirl the caramel around in the dish so it evenly coats the bottom.
Custard
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, salt and sugar. Once combined, add whisk in the half and half and vanilla. Pour the custard into the caramel coated ramekins.
- Add ramekins to a large baking sheet. Pour water onto the baking sheet until the water reaches ½"-2" up the sides of the ramekin. This is called a water bath.
- Bake the flan for 50-65 minutes, until a knife inserted into the custard comes out clean, or the internal temperature reaches 175°F. Remove the ramekins from the water bath and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
- To serve, invert each ramekin allowing the custard to fall out and the caramel sauce to flow over the custard.
Video
Notes
**If you are making one large flan, rather than individually portioned, add one extra egg. This will help your flan remain intact when inverting it on the serving plate.
This dish is best made 12 to 36 hours in advance. This allows the flan to fully set and the hard caramel sauce to liquefy (rather than being stuck to the inside of the ramekin) and it's easier to invert the flan out of the ramekins.
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