Cajeta Flan Recipes

CAJETA FLAN

Steps:

• Make caramel:
• Bring sugar and water to a boil in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then wash down any sugar crystals from side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Boil, without stirring, swirling pan occasionally so caramel colors evenly, until dark amber.
• Immediately divide caramel among ramekins and swirl each ramekin to coat bottom and about halfway up side.
• Make flan:
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
• Put cajeta, half-and-half, and lime zest in a heavy medium saucepan. Split vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape seeds into saucepan, then drop in pod. Bring to a simmer, stirring until smooth.
• Whisk together whole eggs and yolks in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in hot liquid, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into another bowl. Ladle custard into ramekins.
• Bake in a hot water bath until edge is set but a quarter-size spot in center is still wobbly, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Remove ramekins from water and cool at least 30 minutes (custard will continue to set). Unmold just before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CAJETA FLAN WITH CREAM CHEESE

Steps:

• PREHEAT oven to 350°F Place 1 cup of the sugar in small heavy saucepan; cook on medium heat until sugar is melted and deep golden brown, stirring constantly with wooden spoon. Remove from heat. Immediately pour into 9-inch round baking pan; tilt pan to evenly cover bottom of pan with syrup. Set aside.
• PLACE milk and cream cheese in blender; cover. Blend until smooth. Add remaining 1 cup sugar, the eggs, vanilla and salt; cover. Blend just until smooth; add cajeta and pour into prepared baking pan. Place filled baking pan in larger baking pan; add enough hot water to larger pan to come halfway up side of smaller pan.
• BAKE 50 minute to 1 hour or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool. Carefully remove flan from water. Cool on wire rack.
• REFRIGERATE several hours or unti chilled. When ready to serve, run a knife around the edge of the pan. Then, invert pan onto serving plate to unmold flan. Store any leftovers in refrigerator. If you have trouble getting the caramel out of the pan, place the bottom of the pan in hot water and then spoon the caramel on the flan.