Flan...

[bigdawg2121]

SO, I've recently decided to make a foray into the wonderfully tasty world of light, jiggly, dessert custards and my first project has been flan. Unfortunately (as is likely to be expected) I don't think I've managed to make great flan the first time out (still awaiting the results of batch two after it sets). It's not bad but I think it's turning out a bit on the eggy side of a really tasty custard. Anyone got any tips, great recipes, or secret methods that I might find enlightening?

[mrbiggs]

Do you want a dish that everyone will be a flan of?

Are you trying to make a flantastic dessert?

A dessert that people will be flantasizing about for days to come?


Or are you going for something less flancy?

If you want my personal help, you're going to have to be a bit closer--at least get to Flaneuil Hall.

Your guests might even comment that the flavor was making them see phlantoms and have other phlantasmagorical visions.

Of course, you need to get it just right if you want it to be a great mixture, a true flantasia of food, if you will.

[chefencer]

Both of you guys need to go to bed...

If you feel that your custard tastes a little 'eggy' the most obvious thing is to take out an egg and increase the cooking time (perhaps reducing the temperature, as well). I'm not sure what your recipe's ratio is, but as I'm not anal enough to be a pastry chef, I just use two eggs per cup of liquid - whatver that liquid may be. It is also interesting to make a custard with only egg whites (probably around 4 whites per cup of liquid). White chocolate is a good additive, replacing some of the egg, adding flavor (not intrusively) and creaminess. Vanilla is also an important de-'eggy' element or some other liquor of your choice. If you're trying to hang seriously Olde School and you don't want to 'contaminate' your classic flan, just be very careful not to cook it too fast or over-cook it, that also increases the egg flavor. Smooth, uncurdled (didn't boil) custard cooked just until it's set is much less egg flavored than it's abused cousin. When I'm checking for custard doneness, I shake the oven door and watch for wave motions. It works.

Welcome to the world of custards (it really is "a true flantasia of food"), and you don't have to stop at flan because vegetable custards can be good also. Take a really good cream soup, add eggs and bake gently in a pie crust or even custard cup - voila! You're a gourmand!

[Gav]

Originally Posted by chefencer

Both of you guys need to go to bed...

If you feel that your custard tastes a little 'eggy' the most obvious thing is to take out an egg and increase the cooking time (perhaps reducing the temperature, as well). I'm not sure what your recipe's ratio is, but as I'm not anal enough to be a pastry chef, I just use two eggs per cup of liquid - whatver that liquid may be. It is also interesting to make a custard with only egg whites (probably around 4 whites per cup of liquid). White chocolate is a good additive, replacing some of the egg, adding flavor (not intrusively) and creaminess. Vanilla is also an important de-'eggy' element or some other liquor of your choice. If you're trying to hang seriously Olde School and you don't want to 'contaminate' your classic flan, just be very careful not to cook it too fast or over-cook it, that also increases the egg flavor. Smooth, uncurdled (didn't boil) custard cooked just until it's set is much less egg flavored than it's abused cousin. When I'm checking for custard doneness, I shake the oven door and watch for wave motions. It works.

Welcome to the world of custards (it really is "a true flantasia of food"), and you don't have to stop at flan because vegetable custards can be good also. Take a really good cream soup, add eggs and bake gently in a pie crust or even custard cup - voila! You're a gourmand!

I knew changing your nickname to Le Chef was a good idea.

[bigdawg2121]

You're right. I should go to bed, however I was baking at the time. Sounds like you're probably right and I overcooked. Thing is that I'm always worried I may undercook the egg. Also the recipe I used called for 3 yolks and 3 eggs for oh 2.5 cups of liquid. Too much? Also how much leeway should I give for carryover cooking? I was told that it was done if I insert a knife and it comes out perfectly clean but that seems like it's too long...

Also, if you have any good creme brulee recipes that you'd like to shoot my way let me know. Slightly higher cream to egg ratio? Same ratio as other custards?

[chefencer]

Originally Posted by Gav

I knew changing your nickname to Le Chef was a good idea.

Haha! I was clasically trained, but my chef was German (from Hamburg, actually). I had an Austrian chef explain to me that the hotels of the world were run by the German-Swiss mafia...

Originally Posted by bigdawg2121

You're right. I should go to bed, however I was baking at the time. Sounds like you're probably right and I overcooked. Thing is that I'm always worried I may undercook the egg. Also the recipe I used called for 3 yolks and 3 eggs for oh 2.5 cups of liquid. Too much? Also how much leeway should I give for carryover cooking? I was told that it was done if I insert a knife and it comes out perfectly clean but that seems like it's too long...

Also, if you have any good creme brulee recipes that you'd like to shoot my way let me know. Slightly higher cream to egg ratio? Same ratio as other custards?

That does seem like a high egg content - I'd get rid of the yolks and if you're using milk switch to half and half, or full cream if you're feeling plush, to bump up the richness. Don't be too scared about the egg killing you. The knife thing, in my opinion, is too done. Shake the oven door and if you get jiggle, but no wave, you're probably good - carryover is your friend. Pull them out and leave them in the water until they're cool enough to handle.

Creme brulee: You can reduce the egg a little more, if you want, because it's not coming out of the cup - same for 'pot de creme'. It's important to allow slow, gentle cooking so custard stays smooth - that brings out the contrast of the crunchy brulee.
Brulee is what you order if you want to see if a kitchen can do things right, because it is so very simple, but there are numerous ways to screw it up. The trick to brulee is making a good crispy, but not burned crust and finding good fruit to contrast the whole thing. The best brulee experience I've had was at a wine tasting/cooking class. I had the class make brulees and the wine guy brought out a strong burgundy paired with a delicious eiswein - it was a yin/yang of dessert and wine - very cool!

[bigdawg2121]

Sweet...one last question, would it be prudent to use the whites that I have saved from my last failure (I froze them as I heard they keep well) in my next attempt? (Making the recipe 3 eggs, 3 whites, 2.5 cups of half&half or cream, teaspoon of vanilla or some other liquor, and a cup? of sugar)

Hopefully my next late night post will report a successful flan! Also, do you think a simple syrup made with pomegranate would be a good accompaniment for my flan or creme brulee?

[chefencer]

Haha! You have a good eye for utilization, but in this instance I wouldn't add the whites just to get rid of them - it'll make it too firm. Keep them in the freezer for your next project: Floating Island! (but I'd cut the recipe in half...)
Don't get hung up on "teaspoon of" - just put it in until it tastes good. I do the same with sugar, but of course it is fine to just follow your flan recipe. Generally, my custard recipe consists of 8 eggs per quart of base and I just try to make the base taste good. I have the luxury of pasteurized eggs, so I can drink the stuff if I want. If you're nervous about raw eggs, make your base to taste and add an extra oomph. The eggs will not only dilute the flavor, but when cooked they actually reduce the seasoning and flavor of the base. When I'm making a vegetable custard I over salt the base just a bit because the salt disappears into the egg (a bit like seasoning disappears into potatoes). I'm not a real delicate guy anyway - I usually go for bold. As to pomegranate - you're quite the trendy foodie as pomegranate Is the new cranberry. I'd say it would be a good foil to the brulee (raspberry coulis is often used with brulee), but if it's a syrup you'll lose it in the flan caramel sauce.

Bon Temps!

[Fencergrl]

[quote=chefencer;633409 Don't be too scared about the egg killing you. [/QUOTE]

*fencergrl giggling* I often threw in raw eggs into my morning smoothies when I was a teen as cheap protein. Yes, there's salmonella, but it's more common on the shells, than the egg itself. The shell after all, has contact with the chicken and feces.

Having said this, I am more careful these days around chicken and eggs because of the factory farming practices. I honestly wouldn't worry too much if the egg is partially cooked.

[bigdawg2121]

Yeah. The actual chances of the egg itself being of any real danger is rather small. Ridiculously so for household uses. What initially worried me was whether the egg portion of the custard being undercooked should be a concern from a taste POV. Really I just want to make a tasty custard

[Sabresque]

mmmm tasty custard.

[lefty_monster]

Flan at 3am? Has anyone told y'all that you need to get a life? No? I'll do it, then.

Get a life.

[bigdawg2121]

Did it ever occur to you that I'm so busy having a life that I had no choice but to make flan at 3am outside of *gasp* having no flan? Classes, concerts, fencing, pseudo working at an off-camous health center, hanging out with my masses of adoring fans, etc. I'm a busy man; a busy man with a flan.

[Katman]

Flan is great and all, but I don't like it. Unfortunately, my girlfriend loves the stuff and loves cooking it. It was the first thing she made for me when we started dating. It set a horrible precedent; now she thinks I hate all of her cooking.

[bigdawg2121]

A quick update:

My last attempt was much better. Sadly I fell asleep while it was the oven and overcooked it slightly. Very slightly but enough that I'm not pleased yet. My roommate and his lady friend thought it was very good though. Thanks for all the help and keep it coming if you think of anything else. I think this should become a general dessert/candies/cooking? thread. It could be useful.

[the maple epee]

I'm so sick of people being afraid of their food and thinking that unless they pasteurize it/cook it to a crisp then they'll die.

For chrissakes people, get the stuff fresh from your local farmer. It's not going to kill you. I've been drinking raw milk my whole life. Guess what? I haven't died. I haven't gotten salmonella. I'll tell you what has happened. It's given me the Chuck Norris of immune systems.

Just make sure you know where your food comes from, and you should be fine.

Jeez...


(This is why it's a bad idea to start me on a rant)

[bigdawg2121]

Originally Posted by bigdawg2121

What initially worried me was whether the egg portion of the custard being undercooked should be a concern from a taste POV.

Note the taste-centric nature of the concern. Ranting is for the soapbox thread

[wahrman]

Freezing the left over whites is great but making a flan is a great excuse to use the left over whites to make an angel food cake as well.

[Sisyphus]

Originally Posted by wahrman

Freezing the left over whites is great but making a flan is a great excuse to use the left over whites to make an angel food cake as well.

And meringues, souffles, mousse, chiffon cake, pudding cake, baked alaska, pavlova