Quesillo (Flan)

I was thinking about what special dessert I could make for Miguel today, but of course, I would run out of flour right when I get the urge to bake! I could have just run down to the little neighborhood store around the corner to grab a kilo of flour, but then I'd have to dress the kids, get out in the cold...that's when I thought of quesillo (flan), which is pretty much Miguel's all-time favorite 'postre' (dessert). So that's what is in the oven now...

Here's a picture from the archives!
October 2005-Venezuela
Petra María (fellow missionary in Venezuela)
made me this lovely quesillo
for my birthday that year!

Petra makes the most beautiful quesillos...
mine are not nearly so pretty!

So, here's the easiest recipe ever for a good quesillo...you can prepare quesillo in a double boiler on the stove-top or baked in the oven. I don't have a double boiler, so I just bake mine in the oven. I will write the recipe as if for a double boiler, but will add the directions for the oven option at the end.

Quesillo (Flan)

1. Stir 1/2 cup of white sugar in a heavy saucepan or skillet over medium heat until it is melted and caramel-colored. It is easy to burn, so it is best to stir constantly, especially once the sugar begins to melt.

2. Pour the sugar mixture into a double boiler pan.

3. In the blender or with a whisk, mix together 6 eggs, 1 can of sweetened condensed milk (397 g or about 14 oz), plus the milk can filled with regular milk. Once blended well, pour over the sugar mixture in the double boiler pan.

4. Add water to the double boiler and cook at medium heat for 1 hour. It is done when a knife comes out clean. Remove from the double boiler and cool before turning out onto a plate.

Oven Option: Pour the sugar mixture into a round glass* pan or a glass* loaf pan. Pour milk mixture into the pan over the sugar mixture. Place into a larger glass* pan and put into a 350 degree pre-heated oven. Pour boiling water into the outer pan to a height of about 3/4 to 1 inch, thus creating a "double boiler" effect. Bake for about an hour or until knife comes out clean. I don't usually turn the quesillo out onto a plate using the oven option, we just cut and serve it right from the pan. :) To be honest, the quesillo doesn't usually last long to enough to make it worth dirtying another dish! LOL

*Glass pans are preferable, but you could probably use metal...just seems like the glass works better for the flan...