It is that time of year when pumpkins are in season. Most people make pumpkin pies or pumpkin bread but I have another way to use pumpkin that is a little more unusual. You may be familiar with Flan if you frequent Mexican restaurants; it is a Latin desert that is somewhat similiar to a custard but more firm. Making flan is not really that difficult but you do have to be very precise when you make it if you want it to set properly.
This pumpkin flan uses a a canned pumpkin puree. I can’t even explain the flavor it ls like a custardy pumpkin flavor it is really amazingly tasty.
What you will need:
Sauce pan
large mixing bowl
9 inch glass pie plate
A large baking pan large enough to fit the pie plate inside of it. (You may need to go to a party store or in the baking department of your grocery store or discount store and buy a large aluminim disposable baking pan).
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups 2% milk (don’t use skim)
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs + 3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare your pie plate by pouring boiling water in to it and allowing the water to sit there.
Get your sauce pan. The sauce pan should be a good quality one with a thick bottom. Do not use a thin saucepan for this. You are going to melt down 1 cup of the sugar (reserve the 3/4 cup) in the pan, you will need to keep a very close eye on it and stir from time to time. Don’t let the sugar burn; adjust your heat as needed. It should be hot enough for the sugar to melt, but not hot enough to burn your pan. Keep doing this the sugar will eventually liquify and get a bit darker in color; when it is done the liquid will be smooth.
Pour the hot water out of your pie plate and dry it quickly with a paper towel; while the pie plate is still warm pour the sugar syrup in to it.
Quickly, thoroughly wash out your sauce pan–you are going to use it right away again. If you are using multiple sauce pans, still rince it out as best as you can, but quickly. Place the saucepan on the stove again; add the milk, the pumpkin, the cinnamon and the salt. Bring this mixture to boil, stirring once gently right before the point of boiling. After it starts to boil remove it from the heat.
Start boiling some hot water at this point.
In a large mixing bowl beat the eggs and egg yolks, then beat in the the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar and the vanilla. Then, while still beating add in 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture. Continue to mix until the eggs have gotten used to or have been tempered. Once you are sure that the eggs are fine and not begining to cook, slowly and gradually add in the rest of the hot milk mixture as you are beating.
Carefully pour the mixture over the hardened sugar in the pie plate.
Very carefully place the pie pan in the baking pan. Pour the boiling water about half way up the pie pan. Then carefully place the pan in the pre-heated oven. Cook for one hour until it has set.
Very carefully remove the baking pan from the oven and carefully remove the pie dish from the baking pan; allow it to cool a bit. While the flan is still warm but no longer hot, begin to loosen it from the pie plate by using a butter knife to go around the edges. Get a plate that is larger than the flan and place it over the top of the pie plate, and turn the pie plate, over allowing the flan to come out onto the plate. Keep in mind that there will be syrup coming out too, so make sure your plate is big enough to hold that too.
You can eat it right away, warm, or you can eat it after chilling it in the refrigerator for an hour or so. The flan will keep in the refrigerator as long as it is covered for a couple of days.
Serve with a little whipped cream if you like.
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