Spain holds a truly special place in my heart, and will forever be my favorite place to visit. I don’t know what it is, but as soon as my flight touches down, it feels like home.
The culture. The food. The vibe. The walkability. All of it.
It also happened to be the first place I traveled to as a “grown up” for my honeymoon. I had the fortune to take my parents a different time for their first overseas adventure. This was also Finley’s first international experience at 6 months old (that insanity to be explained at a later date). So many great memories happened in Spain, and I never grow tired of visiting that beautiful country.
My “go-to” is the town of Seville. I am not one for large, touristy destinations with large crowds and long lines for attractions. The greatest joy of travel, for me, is to live like a local and not be a tourist. I want to eat like a local. I want to explore the city like a local. In Seville, the speed is up my alley.
My days would usually look something like this: Waking up in the morning and walking to a local cafe then strolling to a local market. Stumbling upon an old cathedral and admiring its beauty. Finding a cafe on the plaza and drinking a glass, or two, of red sangria made with Seville oranges. Indulging in a siesta when the town quiets down for the afternoon. Strolling through the city in the evening and “tapa hopping”. Perfection.
Whenever I get a longing for going back, and can’t actually get away, I do what I know best: cook. I’ll figure out a new tapa or dessert to cook up and invite friends over. Fortunately, we have some great friends that also enjoy Spanish food and one friend that makes a mean paella. This week I had a hankering for some paella, so we threw together a Spanish evening, in which I made an ensalada de pulpo with a fresh honey and chile vinaigrette, jamon y manchego croquetas, and finally, the flan.
The two things that remind me most of Seville are my morning coffee at the nearby cafe and the oranges that grow in Seville. These were two ingredients that needed to be in the flan. Obviously, I had to make due with some regular store-bought oranges, but the recipe was great nonetheless.
This recipe does take a little time, and a little planning ahead to make sure it is ready to serve when the meal is over. Luckily, the wait is worth it.
Part of the loveliness of flan, is the caramel layer that coats the top. To make this, you will need to get 2/3 cup of sugar, and place in a pot over medium heat. Don’t touch it until it melts, and just swirl the pan to incorporate all the ingredients. Once it melts, keep an eye on it so that the caramel doesn’t burn. You want a nice nutty aroma and deep brown color, but definitely not burnt. Pour this hot mixture into the bottom of your dish… it can be a pie pan or a 9″ cake pan.
While this cools in your pan, whip up the flan. Mix all ingredients with a whisk, then strain over a fine sieve. I zested the orange before straining which provided a subtle, but citrus flavor to the flan. If you prefer, you can always add the zest after so you have nice orange flecks in your final product. I personally like the silky, custard texture of flan and didn’t want to disrupt it with little bits of zest. Either way, once it has been strained, pour over your caramel mixture.
Set your pan of custard into a larger pan so that you can create a water bath. Pour hot water into the larger pan, being cautious not to get any inside your custard. Bake until the custard sets, but is still jiggly. This process took me about 1 1/2 hours, but depending on your oven and pan you use it could be more or less.
Once the dish is finished, let cool and place in refrigerator for at least 8 hours. To remove the flan, run a knife dipped into hot water around the edge of your flan, place your serving dish over the top of your flan, and invert.
Recipe
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups whole milk
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
5 whole eggs
1/4 cup strong coffee or espresso
1 tablespoon orange zest
a goose and a gangster 