Sour Cream Flan

I decided to make some regular flan.  I had previously made an orange flan http://shenandoahgatewayfarm.blogspot.com/2012/08/orange-flan-or-flan-de-naranja.html 
and wanted to try a traditional flan. I have a friend with some swallowing difficulties and I thought she might be able to have a taste of a flan.   I found a bunch of recipes, but then I came across a sour cream flan.  I thought that would be fun to try.  I liked it, but it was more dense than a traditional flan.  So I will have to make one of those some time soon.

The hardest part of making flan is getting the sugar caramelized just right.  It can change from not brown enough to too hard in a minute.  I found a suggestion that I liked.  Use purchased caramel ice cream topping.  Works for me.

 

Sour Cream Flan

Caramel ice cream topping
4 eggs
1 can ( 14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 can (12 0z.) evaporated milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla
4 ounces softened cream cheese

 

Preheat the oven to 350°.  You will need 8 ramekins and a pan large enough to hold them all.

 

Place the eggs in a blender.  Then add the two different cans of milk and mix.  When they are smooth add the softened cream cheese and the vanilla.  Mix until you can't see the lumps from the cream cheese.

 

Place about 1 Tablespoon of the caramel topping in each ramekin and swirl around.  Pour in the egg mixture.

Place the ramekins in the pan and boiling water about half way up the side of the ramekins.

 

You now have a wobbly boiling pan of DANGER Will Robinson.  It helps to have someone open the oven for you.  Carefully place the pan of hot water and filled ramekins in the center of the preheated oven.  Bake for 45 minutes.

 

Remove and cool completely.  Don't you love how my oven heats unevenly?  Me, neither.  But no one will notice when they are flipped over.  Chill for at least one hour.

To serve, run a damp knife blade around the edge of the flan.  Turn it over a small plate and gently jiggle it .  The flan should slip out and be covered in delicious caramel.