Day 8: Homemade Creamy Caramel Flan (is Like a Taste of Heaven)

Creamy Caramel Flan

Status: Homemade

Satisfaction: 10. Creamy and delicious, as the title implies.

Associated with: Clouds (and some Michaelangelo)

I know what you're thinking: Another flan post in one week? Blasphemy! This repeat, however, merits sharing. It was my first attempt at flan--and frankly, it was awesome. Creamy, delicious, melt-in-your-mouth sinfulness in every bite I will pretend I did not take because this is technically for, er, tomorrow's Dickens party. (Did I mention that I'm hosting a Dickens dinner? I'm hosting a Dickens dinner--gee, I wonder what tomorrow's theme will be...)

Anyway, it's sort of what I imagine a mixture of clouds and heaven would taste like if you could take a bite of them. The picture above captures the general sentiment of hallelujah choruses that exploded inside of me at first bite.

It's recipe time! (Click "read more.")
CREAMY CARAMEL FLAN

• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 5 eggs
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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• Directions
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• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place 10-inch round or 9-inch square glass baking dish into oven as it preheats to keep glass warm until caramel is ready.
• 2. In a small, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, cook sugar, stirring, until golden. Quickly pour into baking dish, tilting to coat bottom and sides before caramel hardens. Set aside.
• 3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated. Beat in condensed and evaporated milk and vanilla until smooth. Pour into caramel coated pan. Line a roasting pan with a damp kitchen towel. Place baking dish on towel, inside roasting pan, and place roasting pan on oven rack. Fill roasting pan with boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish.
• 4. Bake in preheated oven 50 to 60 minutes, until center is just set. Cool one hour on wire rack, then chill in refrigerator 8 hours or overnight. To unmold, run a knife around edges of pan and invert on a rimmed serving platter.