Created by MimiMaine on January 12, 2012
Step 1: SYRUP: Place the 3/4 cup sugar in a large skillet and cook over medium heat till sugar melts and forms a light brown syrup (don't let it burn); stir to blend.
Step 2: While this is melting, put a shallow 8 1/4" baking dish into a 325 degree oven to heat so that after the above sugar has become a syrup you can IMMEDIATELY pour it into the heated dish and holding the dish with pot holders, quickly rotate to cover bottom completely and a little way up the side----set aside but DO NOT turn the 325 degree oven off.
Step 3: FLAN: Oven is at 325 degrees and all ready for you.
Step 4: In medium saucepan put the milk and cream and heat just till bubbles form around the edge of pan.
Step 5: In large bowl whisk eggs; add the 1/2 cup sugar, salt, vanilla; mix well
Step 6: Gradually stir the hot milk mixture into this, stirring all the while.
Step 7: Pour into the prepared dish with the syrup; set dish in shallow pan and pour boiling water around the dish to 1/2" deep.
Step 8: Bake in the 325 degree oven for about 35-40 minutes or until a silver knife comes out clean; let cool.
Step 9: Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or better yet, ovenight.
Step 10: To serve, run a spatula around edge of dish to loosen; invert onto a shallow serving dish with a lip to catch that wonderful syrup.
Step 11: Gently shake to release and hold the dish over the flan for a couple of minutes to get as much syrup dripped out as you can.