Introduction

I'm here to argue the case that Flan is the perfect summer dessert, although I really don't know who would dare to argue against me. It's caramel, it's cool and it's custard. The silky interior loves to marry with the tart seasonal berries and stone fruits that are nearly falling off the branches these days.

Practically speaking it is a great choice to bring to all those summer potlucks. The crowd will go wild. They'll ohhh and ahhh at your pastry prowess. It can be our little secret that this dessert is actually quite easy and can be prepared in 15 minutes (not including baking time) and is easily - in fact better if - made a day in advance.

The custard is laughably simple. All the ingredients go in a blender and get whirred together until combined. With that done and set aside let's spend a moment on the subject of caramel - really, is there anything better to talk about? Its sweet yet dark complexity has me hopelessly in love with this creamy concoction. It goes in my coffee, on my ice cream, in my buttercream - always with a sprinkling of sea salt to balance its sweetness.

Caramel making can be intimidating but there are a few tricks and key steps that if followed closely you should have no problem creating a dark, creamy caramel. First of all start with an impeccably clean pot. In fact everything that is going to touch the sugar must be clean. Add a touch of lemon juice to the sugar/water mixture. This helps to break down the sugar and cause it to caramelize all at the same time.

Crystallization is the evil word in the discussion of caramel. It happens when sugar caramelizes at different points. One grain of sugar that lands in a pot of caramel has the power to crystallize the entire batch. Keeping everything clean and washing down the sides of the pan that has the sugar in it will help to prevent this dreaded problem. You can wash the sides free of any sugar by either using a clean pastry brush dipped in water or by placing a lid on the pot for the first five minutes of boiling. The condensation will clean the sides for you. Remove the lid and continue to boil.

Once you notice your sugar start to color do not walk away - don't even think of answering the phone. Sugar passes through different color stages and it does so rather quickly. I prefer the flavor of a really dark caramel. The resulting flavor is rich, complex, not overly sweet and slightly bitter. The risk you take with this is cooking the sugar too much - if that happens the only cure is starting over. The color at which I pull my caramel is a deep golden brown. It continues to cook as it cools and becomes the color of copper.

I understand that I may have scared you completely away from attempting this but really just stick to these tricks and you will be fine - in fact you'll be better than fine - you will be one step closer to sinking your teeth into this tangy, creamy and rich custard.

Flan de Queso

adapted from Seattle Bon Vivante

For the custard

• 1 can of evaporated milk
• 1 can of sweetened condensed milk
• 5 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 8 oz softened cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon dark rum

For the caramel

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water

Directions

Mix all the ingredients for the custard in a blender or food processor until smooth. Set aside in the refrigerator while you prepare the caramel.

To make the caramel, combine the sugar with 1/4 cup water into a heavy bottomed stainless pan at medium high heat. Make sure the sides of the pan are free of any sugar crystals. You can do this by using a clean, wet pastry brush or simply cover the pot with a lid for the first 5 minutes of boiling.

Cook until the sugar turns to a beautiful golden brown color but does not burn or become too dark. Very carefully pour the caramel into your baking dish. Cover the bottom and the sides as best you can.

Pour the flan mixture in the caramel (caramelo) coated mold or pan. Place the baking dish in a larger dish that is half-filled with water. You want the water to come to at least the half-way mark on the flan baking dish. This is called the Bain Marie or water bath method. Bake in a 375°F oven for about 60 minutes or until wooden skewer inserted near center comes out clean. Depending on your oven, altitude, pan, etc, it might take a bit longer to be ready. Test doneness about every 5-10 minutes until it is set but a bit wobbly to avoid over-baking the custard as the flan might crack.

Remove flan from oven and let cool a bit. Run the same skewer around the rim and using a large enough round serving plate to assist you, flip over the flan. Be careful as the caramel might still be warm and it will run along the sides of the flan. Refrigerate for a few hours - or overnight - before serving.

About Ashley E. Rodriguez

Food became my life while living in Italy. Growing up I was fortunate to have been brought up around a mother who intuitively knew how to cook, and just by being around that, it rubbed off on me. But it was in Italy where I truly began to appreciate the power of good food.

For me food is so much more than following a recipe in order to reach a desired product. As much as I enjoy that tasty product and the process in which it was created, my personal infatuation with food focuses on the aspects that go beyond satisfying a bodily hunger. I am completely and utterly obsessed with food because of its effect on the people who consume it, grow it, produce it, enjoy it, and live for it. Food is culture, it nourishes our bodies, it is passion, it is hard work, and for many it is their livelihood.

My culinary career has been primarily pastry focused. I worked under the Captain of the winning American Coupe du Monde team (the Olympics of bread baking) at the Essential Bread Baking Company in Seattle, WA. From there I went on to Los Angeles where I studied under Sherry Yard (Executive Pastry Chef for Wolfgang Puck's restaurant empire) at Wolfgang Puck's famous Spago restaurant in Beverly Hills. While working with Sherry, I also assisted her with her second book, Desserts By The Yard.

I moved back to Washington State and began my pastry business, fulfilling all sweet needs. You can see my work in numerous publications including Seattle Metropolitan Bride & Groom. Currently I am focusing on training my two young boys to have distinguished palates. You can also find me writing, teaching and creating a television program on the subject of real, good food.

Photographs copyright by Ashley Rodriguez. Used with permission.