Vanilla Flan with Caramel Sauce

Crème caramel (flan) and crème brûlée are classic oven-baked custards.

Ingredients

1 cup and 1/3 cup granulated sugar, separated
1/4 cup water
1 1/4 cup whole milk
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp vanilla paste, or 1 vanilla bean, split
3 eggs
Instructions


Place 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water in a pot. Gently stir to blend.
Bring mixture to a boil without stirring, putting a lid on pan so that moisture from boiling syrup will wash down sides.
Let mixture continue to boil until it starts to turn a light brown color.
Take pan off heat and allow mixture to cool until it has a honey-like consistency.
Pour caramel into 4 small ramekins. Swirl caramel around so it covers the bottoms of the ramekins. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Warm milk, 1/3 cup sugar and vanilla on stove top.
Whisk eggs in a medium bowl. Pour warm milk mixture into eggs, whisking continuously. Add cream and continue to whisk until thoroughly mixed.
Pour milk mixture into prepared ramekins.
Place ramekins in a larger pan, for example a roasting pan, and fill the roasting pan until water reaches halfway up the ramekins.
Bake custards in oven for 30 – 40 minutes.
Custards will be done when there is a small wiggle in the custard. Allow ramekins to cool off and wipe them dry. Refrigerate for a couple of hours, or overnight.

To present the dessert, run a small knife around the edges of the ramekins. Place a serving plate on top of the ramekin. Flip the dish and give it a quick jerk in order to remove the flan from the ramekin. The caramel should now be on top and will drizzle over sides to plate.