Recipe Index

Ingredients

• 1¾ cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• ⅛ tsp. kosher salt
• ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1 cup plus 7 Tbsp. (10¼ oz) sugar, divided
• 3 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks

Method

1. Warm the heavy cream, whole milk and 1/8 teaspoon of kosher salt in a heavy pan, scrape in the seeds from the split vanilla bean and drop the pod in too, bring the mixture just to a simmer, then take it off the heat and let the vanilla steep for 30 minutes.
2. Cook 1 cup of the sugar with 1/3 cup water in a clean heavy pan, first on low until the sugar dissolves, then on high without stirring for about 10 minutes, swirling now and then, until the syrup turns deep amber.
3. Pour the hot caramel straight into six 3/4-cup ramekins, tilt each one quickly with an oven mitt so the caramel coats its sides, and stand the ramekins in a 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
4. Heat the oven to 350°F, whisk the remaining 7 tablespoons of sugar with the 3 eggs and 2 yolks just until blended, then whisk the warm vanilla cream in gradually so the custard stays smooth and low on foam.
5. Strain the custard into the caramel-lined ramekins, leave the vanilla pod behind, and pour hot water into the baking pan until it reaches halfway up the ramekins.
6. Bake the flans for about 40 minutes until their edges are set while their centres still wobble slightly, then lift them onto a rack to cool.
7. Chill the flans uncovered until cold, about 2 hours, then cover them and leave them in the fridge overnight so the caramel softens into sauce.
8. To turn one out, run a small knife around its edge, invert a plate over the ramekin, flip the pair and shake gently until the flan drops and its caramel spills down over the custard.

Cook: 30 minutes · Total: 1 hour 20 minutes, plus chilling

Nutrition (per serving, where published)

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data