"These little flans are the best! And everything is usually on hand -- the only thing is the cajeta but I used caramel sauce (the kind that comes in a jar and you put on ice cream) -- probably not the same but we enjoyed it! These need 2 hours refrigeration (not included) but can stay in the fridge for up to 4 days (in my house they didn't last 4 days though!) Recipe source: Pati's Mexican Table Cookbook"

Original recipe yields 12 servings

Metric US

I've Tried It

Nutritional

Serving Size: 1 (216.3 g)
Calories 374.8
Total Fat - 23.8 g
Saturated Fat - 10.1 g
Cholesterol - 405.4 mg
Sodium - 360.6 mg
Total Carbohydrate - 25.2 g
Dietary Fiber - 2.4 g
Sugars - 16.9 g
Protein - 17.4 g
Calcium - 171.8 mg
Iron - 2.7 mg
Vitamin C - 0 mg
Thiamin - 0.1 mg

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter or used the cooking spray to grease 12 four-ounce ramekins.

Step 2

Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the caramel sauce or cajeta over the bottom of each ramekin and set aside.

Step 3

To make the cake: in a bowl of an electric mixer at medium speed beat the butter for 3 minutes or until light and then add the sugar and beat another 2 minutes. Add egg and beat until blended.

Step 4

In another bowl sift together the dry ingredients (flour - salt). With the mixer on low alternately add the dry mixture and the buttermilk in two additions, beating until mixed. Set aside.

Step 5

To make the flan: In a blender combine the flan ingredients (canned milks - vanilla), blending until smooth.

Step 6

Spoon 2 tablespoons of the cake batter into each ramekin, filling them 2/3 full. Pour the flan mixture on top of the cake batter, filling the ramekins to just below the rim.

Step 7

Place the ramekins in a large roasting pan (we had to use 2 pans) and then pour in enough hot water to reach halfway into the pan -- needs to reach at a least halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and seal.

Step 8

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the surface feels firm and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. ***CAREFUL WHEN REMOVING THE FOIL THERE WILL BE A LOT OF HOT STEAM. Remove from oven and remove the foil.

Step 9

When the ramekins are cool remove them from the water bath and place them on a cooling rack. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Step 10

When ready to serve, remove there ramekins from the refrigerator and remove plastic wrap. Run the tip of a knife around the edges of the ramekin and invert onto a plate. Remove the ramekin and drizzle any remaining sauce remaining in the mold on top of the flan. Repeat with the remaining ramekins and garnish with the pecans if desired.