SHF #12: Cooking Up Custard

I have no love for custard. I find it unappealing. In fact, the only Custard I've ever liked was a dragon. So, what's a girl to do? Whip up a custard for her family to enjoy. In honor of our recent adventures in Puerto Rico, I decided a guava flan was in order. The family loves guava. Alas, I do not. And I've never made flan before, either. Making a dessert for the first time when you can't even taste it to properly judge it is an interesting experience. Fortunately, I can always depend on H's tastebuds.

Links on Flan:
Gourmet Sleuth
The Wacky World of Flan
El Boricua

For the recipe, I consulted a cookbook my MIL gave me a few years ago, Puerto Rican Dishes. It didn't have a recipe for Guava Flan so I had to put my own recipe together.

Flan de Guayaba

Caramel Sauce:
Heat 1 C. sugar in a saucepan on medium heat. When sugar has completely melted, stir in 1/3 cup of boiling water.

Flan:
8 eggs
14 oz. Sweetened, condensed milk
12 oz. Evaporated milk
12 oz. can guava nectar

1. Prepare caramel sauce. Allow to cool slightly and then pour into flan pan.
2. Beat eggs in large bowl.
3. Add condensed milk, evaporated milk, and guava nectar to eggs.
4. Pour mixture into carameled pan.
5. Place in a roasting pan of hot water in 350 degree oven.
6. Bake for 1 hour.

In my world, flan is baked in cute, little white dishes but H swore to me that his mom only made her flan in a fluted tube pan. I did not call MIL to confirm she makes her flan in what appears to be a bundt cake pan. Since I couldn't readily find afore-mentioned cute, little white dishes, it was easier to just go along with the "bundt cake in a flan's body" scenario. Or is it a "flan in a bundt cake's body" scenario? Regardless, my greatest worry was: would the flan pop out of the pan or pull a Punxsutawney Phil and hide from its shadow.

Thankfully, the flan popped out of the pan. H loved it but said it only had a hint of guava flavor. I was disappointed in the flan's appearance, which seemed a bit sickly to me. But what do I know; I don't even like flan.



For more Sugar High Friday sweetness, visit this month's host, Simply Recipes.

Fort San Cristobal

Here are the last of the Puerto Rico pics. These are of Fort San Cristobal. Although not as impressive as El Morro, this fort has more museum-type exhibits on the history of the forts and San Juan. This first photo is of Garita del Diablo, the Devil's Sentry Box, where according to legend, soldiers were snatched by the Devil.



Ship carved on window shutter.


The fort's chapel. Looking down the shoreline to El Morro.
Going down to the dungeon. It was very dark but I used the flash.H hit his head badly on the dungeon doorway. You can't believe how dark it was.

Prisoners drew detailed ships on the dungeon walls, which are now protected by plexiglass.