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First things first: What is flan? To find the answer, we typed "flan recipes" into our favorite search box. We quickly learned that flan is "an oven-baked caramel custard dessert that includes a velvety texture and the sweetness of a light caramel sauce." Little did we know that there was more than one way to bake a flan, or that flan comes in flavors: cream cheese, coffee, pumpkin, and pineapple. And that's just for starters. About.com's guide to Mexican cuisine has a collection of flan recipes that reads like a Baskin-Robbins roster, with bing cherry, black raspberry, coconut, and sweet potato styles. Classic flan begins with golden caramel that's made by boiling sugar and water to just the right syrupy consistency and pouring it into the bottom of a soufflé dish or individual ramekin. A custard of eggs and milk (often flavored with vanilla) is then poured on top of the caramel and baked until it sets. Crème caramel is flan's French cousin. Fans of burnt sugar and milk custard should also consider recipes for crème brûlée, another yummy variation, which comes with a crispy caramel topping, usually achieved with
a handheld kitchen blowtorch, or by placing the custard under the broiler. Looking for the perfect flan? We found it in the Epicurious recipe archive, reprinted from a 1992 issue of Bon Appetit magazine.
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