Classic Caramel Flan

Prepare the oven and baking dish 1. Heat the oven to 325°F. 2. Place the empty flan dish near the stove. Once the caramel is ready, you will need to pour it immediately before it hardens. 3. Put a kettle or saucepan of water on to heat for the water bath.

Make the caramel 1. Add the sugar and 3 tablespoons of water to a clean, light-colored saucepan. 2. Place the saucepan over medium heat. 3. Stir gently only until the sugar is evenly moistened. 4. Once the mixture begins to boil, stop stirring. Stirring after this point can cause the sugar to crystallize. 5. Let the syrup boil until it changes from clear to pale gold and then to a medium amber color. This usually takes 6–10 minutes. 6. Watch it closely near the end. Caramel can go from properly browned to burned very quickly. 7. As soon as it reaches a deep honey or amber color, remove the saucepan from the heat. 8. Carefully pour the hot caramel into the flan dish. 9. Using oven mitts, immediately tilt and rotate the dish so the caramel coats the bottom evenly. It may climb slightly up the sides, which is fine. 10. Set the dish aside. The caramel will harden as it cools. Caution: Melted sugar is considerably hotter than boiling water and sticks to skin. Do not touch or taste it while hot.

Make the custard 1. Crack the 4 whole eggs into a large mixing bowl. 2. Add the 2 egg yolks. 3. Whisk gently until the eggs are combined. Avoid beating vigorously because excess air creates bubbles and holes in the finished flan. 4. Add the sweetened condensed milk. 5. Add the evaporated milk. 6. Add the vanilla extract and salt. 7. Whisk slowly until the mixture is completely uniform.

Strain the custard 1. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl or directly over the caramel-lined flan dish. 2. Pour the custard through the strainer. 3. Discard any bits of egg remaining in the strainer. 4. If bubbles or foam remain on the surface, skim them away with a spoon or lightly blot them with a paper towel. Straining produces a noticeably smoother flan.

Assemble the water bath 1. Place the filled flan dish inside the larger roasting pan. 2. Carefully transfer the roasting pan to the oven rack. 3. Pour hot water into the roasting pan around the flan dish. 4. Continue adding water until it reaches approximately halfway up the outside of the flan dish. 5. Make sure no water splashes into the custard. The water bath moderates the heat and prevents the custard from curdling or cracking.

Bake the flan 1. Bake at 325°F for 50–65 minutes. 2. Begin checking around the 50-minute mark. 3. The flan is ready when: The edges look set. The center still jiggles slightly when the pan is gently moved. The center does not appear liquid. 4. For a precise test, the center should register approximately 175–180°F on an instant-read thermometer. 5. Do not bake until the center is completely firm. Residual heat will finish setting the custard.

Cool the flan 1. Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven. 2. Lift the flan dish out of the hot water bath using oven mitts. 3. Place it on a wire rack. 4. Let it cool at room temperature for approximately 1 hour. 5. Cover the dish with plastic wrap or foil. 6. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Overnight chilling gives the best texture and makes unmolding easier.

Unmold the flan 1. Remove the chilled flan from the refrigerator. 2. Run a thin knife around the outer edge of the custard. Keep the knife close to the side of the dish so you do not cut deeply into the flan. 3. Place a large serving plate upside down over the flan dish. 4. Hold the plate and dish tightly together. 5. In one quick, confident motion, flip them over. 6. Let the flan sit inverted for several seconds. 7. Gently lift away the baking dish. 8. The caramel should flow over the flan and pool around it. If the flan does not release immediately, gently shake the plate and dish together or place the bottom of the flan dish in warm water for 10–15 seconds before trying again.