Caramel Flan (Pudim Flan)

In a dry non stick skillet over medium heat add the sugar. It won’t look like it’s doing a thing or even melting for a bit – at least until it reaches just the right temperature. You have to watch it. Every now and then give it a stir and it will stick and be clumpy and hard but just be patient and let it melt. All of a sudden you will see it start to melt and turn brown. The goal is to only let it get light to medium colored brown, like amber gold, and you must keep stirring once you see a glimmer of melting. It will reach this color very fast and once it does remove the skillet from heat otherwise it will get too dark and take on a burnt taste. If that happens, throw it away and start over.

Pour the syrup into a glass round baking dish and using pot holders quickly turn the dish so that the sides are glazed with the syrup. It will set very quickly so move fast – the idea is to get the sides to be coated more than the bottom. That’s because when you invert it the next day, some of the syrup stays in the bottom and I like all I can get. Set aside.

Add all of the remaining ingredients into a blender and process until well blended. Pour into the glazed dish and put the dish into another larger pan that is filled with hot water so that the water comes up half way up the side of the flan dish.

Bake in 325 degree F oven until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean or it is slightly brown on top and feels set if you jiggle the pan a bit. This will take about 1 hour.

Allow to cool and refrigerate overnight.

When it’s time to serve, use a knife to just cut around the edges and then invert the flan onto a serving platter. Spoon out as much of the syrup as you can so everyone gets enough.