 Rows of crèmes caramel or flan | |
| Alternative names | Flan, caramel custard |
|---|---|
| Course | Dessert |
| Serving temperature | Cold or warm |
| Main ingredients | Eggs,milk,sugar |
| Variations | Crème brûlée,crema catalana |
Crème caramel (French:[kʁɛmkaʁamɛl]),flan,caramel pudding,condensed milk pudding orcaramel custard is acustarddessert with a layer of clearcaramel sauce.
Custard has a long documented history, but crème caramel or flan in its modern form, with soft caramel on top, and prepared and cooked using abain-marie, is first documented inLa cuisinière provençale byJean Baptiste Reboul published in 1897.[1]
In the late 20th century, crème caramel was common in European restaurants. The food historianAlan Davidson speculates that this may have been because the dish could be prepared in bulk, in advance.[2]
In this context,crème in French means 'custard'. The namescrème (caramel) renversée (French) andcrema volteada (Spanish) allude to the custard being turned over to be served.
Bothcrème caramel ('caramel cream') andflan are French names; however,flan has come to have different meanings in different regions.
In Spanish-speaking countries (and often in the United States), crème caramel is known asflan. This was originally a Spanish-language usage. However, in North America the word is now best known in Latin American contexts; the other meaning is less common. Elsewhere, including in Britain, the English wordflan means a type oftart somewhat like aquiche.
The Modern English wordflan comes from Frenchflan, fromOld Frenchflaon, in turn fromMedieval Latinfladonem, derived from theOld High Germanflado, a sort of flat cake, probably from anIndo-European root for 'flat' or 'broad'.[3]
Crème caramel is a variant of plain custard (crème) where sugar syrup cooked to caramel stage is poured into the mold before adding the custard base. It is usually cooked in abain-marie on a stovetop or in the oven in a water bath. It is turned and served with the caramel sauce on top, hence the alternate French namescrème (caramel) renversée or 'crème renversée au caramel. The milk may be flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, or lemon peel. The resulting texture is gelatinous and creamy.
Turning out larger dishes requires care, as the custard easily splits. Larger dishes also require more care to avoid undercooking the interior or overcooking the exterior. Thus, crème caramel is often cooked and served in individualramekins. The objective is to obtain a homogeneous and smooth cream on the surface of the crème caramel with a liquid caramel base. Cooking it in abain-marie avoids burning the caramel.
An imitation of crème caramel may be prepared from "instant flan powder", which is thickened withagar orcarrageenan rather than eggs. In someLatin American countries, the true custard version is known as'milk flan' (flan de leche) or even'milk cheese', and the substitute version is known as simplyflan.
InArgentina andUruguay, crème caramel is usually eaten withdulce de leche, whipped cream, or both (flan mixto).
InVenezuela andBrazil, it is often made withcondensed milk, milk, eggs, and caramelized sugar on top. The Venezuelan version is known asquesillo ("small cheese") and in Brazil, a local version is known aspudim, specificallypudim de leite ("milk pudding"), though the traditionalflan is also commercially available. Pudim can have variations of flavor, such as chocolate, coconut, paçoca (peanut candy), cheese, and others, condensed milk pudding being a base recipe.
InCambodia,Laos, andThailand crème caramel often made with condensed milk, milk, coconut milk (as alternative), coconut cream, eggs and caramelized sugar on top.
In many Caribbean countries, the inclusion of coconut, condensed milk and evaporated milk is widespread. The milk base may also be flavored with nuts and fruits.
InChile,Leche asada[4][5] or 'roasted milk' is similar to Crème caramel because it is made with the same ingredients, butLeche asada has a less smooth texture and is baked directly, which creates a toasted layer on the surface. In Chile, it is often eaten withdulce de membrillo (quince jelly) orcondensed milk.
Flan inCosta Rica often features coconut or coffee (flan de café).
InCroatia,rožata,rozata,rožada orrozada (pronounced[rǒʒaːta]) is flavored with the Dubrovnikliqueur rozalin (rose liqueur), which gives the cake its characteristic aroma. It has a documented history stretching from medieval times. Modern variations include vanilla and other flavorings.[6]
Cuban flan (flan deCuba) is made with the addition of egg whites and a cinnamon stick. A similar Cuban dish isCopa Lolita, a small caramel flan served with one or two scoops of vanilla ice cream. Other variations include coconut or rum raisin topping.
In theDominican Republic, only egg yolks are used, mixed with vanilla, evaporated milk, and condensed milk. Coconut flan is known asquesillo.
Regional variations of crème caramel inFrance include:[7]
Caramel custard is popular, especially in the larger coastal cities, and in formerPortuguese colonies such asGoa,Daman and Diu. Sometimes,masala chai is added on the side. It is a staple on restaurant menus in the beach resorts along India's coasts and also prepared regularly in the home kitchens of theAnglo-IndianGoan,Malayali,Mangalorean andParsi communities.
Packaged crème caramel is ubiquitous inJapanese convenience stores under the namepurin (プリン) (i.e., "pudding"), orcustard pudding. The same kind of dessert is sold in convenience stores inTaiwan.
Caramel custard (locally knows aspuding karamel orpuding karamel kastard) is a very popular dessert inMalaysia. First introduced by the Portuguese in the 16th century and sold year-round today, this dessert is popular served in restaurants, cafes, hotels, and evenRamadan bazaars for breaking the fast.
Crème caramel is extremely popular inMexico, being made at home, found pre-made at grocery stores, served in restaurants, and even sold on the streets. A variation of the dish calledFlan Napolitano is made in some parts of Mexico where cream cheese is added to create a creamier consistency, though it is not as popular or widespread. Flan's popularity among Mexican-Americans helped the dish become popular in the United States. Another variation is "Flan de Cajeta", which replaces the standard caramel with cajeta (milk caramel with a base of goat milk).A popular Mexican dessert involving crème caramel is "chocoflan" (a portmanteau of its constituents), which is a layeredBundt cake-styled dessert made of chocolate cake and Crème caramel baked in awater bath. It also has the nickname "impossible cake" due to how it is prepared: despite the Crème caramel layer making up the top half in the final dessert, the chocolate cake batter is poured in the tin first. Its popularity has spread to other Latin American countries, such as Chile.
InPeru,crema volteada 'flipped cream'[8][9] may usecondensed rather than regular milk.[10] Fruit may also be added, such aslucuma,custard apple,soursop, orgranadilla.[11]
In thePhilippines, crème caramel is known as "leche flan" (an anglicization ofSpanishflan de leche, literally "milk flan"), which is a heavier version of the Spanish dish, made with condensed milk and more egg yolks. Leche flan is usually steamed over an open flame or stove top in an oval-shaped tin mold known asllanera (also spelledlyanera, which is also used to makehardinera), although rarely it can also be cooked in an oven. Leche flan is a staple dessert in celebratory feasts.[12][13]
An even heavier version, calledtocino de cielo ortocino del cielo (Spanish for "heaven's bacon"), is similar, but has significantly more egg yolks and sugar.[14]
Leche flan is also commonly baked into pastries. The most common is the Filipino dessertflan cake or leche flan cake, a Filipinochiffon orsponge cake base (mamón) with a layer of leche flan on top.[15][16][17] It can similarly be baked intosteamed cupcakes known asputo mamón, a combination known asputo flan.[18]
Leche flan is also commonly used as a topping for the shaved ice desserthalo-halo.[19]
Known asPudim flan, it is made with milk, eggs, caramelized sugar, and vanilla. Variations include orange or lemonzest,cinnamon, pineapple,Port wine, or evenbacon, as is the case withPudim Abade de Priscos. It characteristically has a hole in the center.
Most Puerto Rican flans are based on eggs and milk. Egg white and egg yolks are beaten separately with sugar to achieve a light flan. The Puerto Rican dessertflancocho combinesflan de queso (cream cheese flan) with a cake base (bizcocho).[20]
InSpain, crème caramel is a typical dessert that is often homemade and is also sold in grocery stores and restaurants with many variations. The best known version is the typicalflan de huevo (egg flan), but there are many other versions, such asflan de queso,flan de leche,flan de vainilla, etc. In the original version, the flan has a layer of caramelised sugar that is sometimes crystallised to make it hard.
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Crème caramel was introduced by the French and is common inVietnam. It is known ascaramen, orkem caramel in northern Vietnam orbánh flan orkem flan in southern Vietnam. Variations include serving with black coffee poured on top, or browning the caramel past typical caramelization point to make a darker, more bitter "burnt caramel".[21]
