Leche Flan is a Filipino type of custard flan. Literally translated it means milk flan. The flan however, is a dish stemming from the Roman times when innovative Roman cooks adopted Greek culinary principles to tackle the problem of how to preserve surplus eggs and came up with a custard-based dish. This little dish that could endured the transition of various eras and empires. During the Medieval ages, the flan developed into the two main forms that exist today. In England, the custard was poured into a pastry shell and mixed with fruits or nuts to create a tasty baked flan. Its enduring popularity is evidenced by the fact that it’s frequently mentioned in English literature. In Spain it was transformed into a sweet custard generally served with caramelized sugar. This type of flan became a world-wide hit following the voyages of notable Spanish explorers such as Columbus and Magellan who furthered not only Spain’s empire but the flan’s popularity. The leche flandeveloped from the second type of flan and much like its ancient Roman ancestor, it has displayed an enduring and prevailing quality, successfully surviving the turbulent history of the Philippines to maintain its triumphant place on the traditional Filipino table.

Ingredients

10 egg yolks

1 375 ml can condensed milk

1 375 ml can evaporated milk

1 Tbs vanilla essence

1/3 cup raw sugar

2/3 cup water

Instructions

1. Mix the yolks, vanilla and milk together with a wooden spoon. Set aside while you make the caramel
2. Dissolve the sugar in the water and boil without stirring until the mixture achieves the consistency of syrup.
3. Pour the caramel into a baking dish or into individual molding dishes.
4. Using a strainer, pour the milk and egg mixture into another bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon but try not to create a lot of air bubbles (this will affect the texture of the baked custard).
5. Pour the mixture into the baking dish or into individual molding dishes.
6. Place the baking dish or molding dishes onto a larger tray. Add water to the tray until it’s about midway full.
7. Bake for 45 minutes at 170 degrees celcius then increase to 175 for the last 20 minutes. The leche flan is cooked when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean