Vanilla flan with caramel

If there is one quintessential classic recipe, it's flan. I don't think there's a more reinterpreted dessert or one that deserves more praise than this. With just three ingredients, you get a true delicacy. But today we'll take it a step further by adding a fourth element to this fantastic equation, to prepare a vanilla flan with caramel as exquisite as it is aromatic.

By adding a vanilla pod, which to me is the most elegant spice, we'll make every spoonful of this delicate flan delight us with its smoothness and aroma, while the delicious touch of caramel makes it simply irresistible.

As with all recipes, but especially this one with few ingredients, the most important thing is that they are as fresh and of the best quality as possible, since it greatly influences the final result. And above all, although the wait can be torturous when you're eager to taste it, it's very important to give it the necessary resting time in the refrigerator. Trust me, you'll notice the difference.

If you like flan, pay attention to this caramel and vanilla flan recipe, because it's addictive.

Ingredients

• 750 ml semi-skimmed milk
• 5 eggs
• 70 g powdered sugar
• 1 vanilla pod
• 100 g powdered sugar for the caramel

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Put the 100 g of sugar for the caramel in a saucepan or frying pan and heat it over low heat without stirring, until it melts and reaches the texture and color of a light caramel.
3. Pour the caramel into the De Buyer charlotte mold.
4. Using a fine-point knife, split the vanilla pod from top to bottom and scrape out its interior to extract the seeds.
5. Put the milk in a saucepan with the seeds and the vanilla pod, and heat it until it boils.
6. Beat the eggs with the sugar in a bowl and, when the milk boils, add it over the eggs while continuously stirring with a whisk.
7. Pour the mixture into the mold over the caramel, straining it with a fine-mesh sieve.
8. Place the charlotte mold in a tall roasting pan and fill the pan halfway with hot water.
9. Carefully place the tray with the mold on the lower rack of the oven and cook the flan in a bain-marie for 40 minutes at 180 °C.
10. After that time, check if the flan is set by pricking it with a knife. If the blade comes out clean, the flan is ready.
11. Remove the flan from the oven and let it cool in the mold on a rack. When it's warm, put it in the refrigerator for 8 hours.
12. Unmold the flan onto a plate and serve it as is or accompanied by whatever you like most.

Notes

• Ideally use a fresh vanilla pod, but you can also use vanilla paste or vanilla extract. The NoMu house ones are fantastic.
• When you beat the eggs, do so in a way that incorporates as little air as possible into the mixture, to avoid bubbles forming in the flan when it sets. You can do this gently with a balloon whisk without lifting it much, or use a ball-tip whisk, like the WMF ones you can see here, which help whisk without incorporating air.
• When pouring the mixture over the caramel always use a fine-mesh sieve. That way, any impurities will remain in the sieve and not in the flan.
• As you can see, making the caramel isn't very difficult, but if you prefer you can use a store-bought one.