Leche Flan

Ingredients:
Toffee

• 1/8 cup white sugar on each llaneras

Custard

• 12 egg yolks (chicken)
• 1 can condensed milk (395g)
• 600ml fresh milk or you can use the UHT milk
• 2 tspn vanilla extract

Materials:

• 3-4 small llaneras
• aluminium foil
• rubber bands

Procedures:
Toffee

1. In medium-low heat, slowly melt the sugar in each llanera. 
2. Using a pair of tongs gently tip each llaneras side to side to evenly distribute the heat, this action will make the melting of the sugar much faster into liquid form.  Never leave the llaneras unattended on the stovetop as sugar has the tendency to burn quickly.
3. Once the sugar turns into a light pale gold colour smooth flowing liquid, remove from the stovetop and set aside to cool down completely.  Don’t be alarm if you hear cracking noises from your harden toffee, it’s normal.

Custard

1. Combine all the Leche Flan Custard ingredients and whisk till well combined.  Don’t whisk too hard to prevent air bubbles in the mixture.  Strain the Custard mixture in a fine metal sieve to get rid of solid egg yolk bits.
2. Pour the Custard mixture over the cooled harden toffee leaving an 1cm clearance on top. 
3. Cut your aluminium foil into rectangles that will completely cover the llaneras sides.  Place a rectangle foil over the top of a llanera and gently mold it to the shape of the llanera, secure with a thick rubber band.  Do this to the rest of llaneras you have filled out.  
4. Bring to boil the water in your steamer base and lower the heat into medium (simmering stage).  Place all your covered llaneras on your steamer pan gently to avoid disturbing the contents inside.  Place your steamer pan over your steamer base and cover with lid.  Steam for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Remove the steamer pan from the stove and set it aside to cool down.  
5. Remove foil cover and then using a paring knife, guide it around the edges of the Leche Flan to separate it from the llanera’s walls.  Place a plate over the top of the llanera and tightly gripping them both, flip it upside down (do the flipping quickly).  Slowly lift the llanera….if the Leche Flan is still stuck…give it a bit of a jiggle and it will easily slide out.
6. You can store your cooled Leche Flan Llaneras inside your fridge.  Unmould the Leche Flans that you require just before serving.  Leche Flan is served chilled

Notes:

• My suggestion for avoiding burnt Leche Flan topping is don’t let your toffee gets too dark when you melt your sugar.

• Avoiding air bubbles during whisking contributes to a much better looking Leche Flan and this goes also with the simmering water instead of full blast boiling water while steaming Leche Flan,  I find there are less air pockets.

• You can also cook Leche Flan in a Bain Marie (water bath *hot water) inside your oven for the same length as steaming at 180C.  Use a rack on you water bath, so that the Leche Flan aluminium moulds are not directly in contact with the bottom of the water tray.  Direct contact of the Leche Flan aluminium moulds with the bottom of the tray, heats up the syrup too quickly (like melting the sugar for the caramel/toffee), because there’s no water between them to cushion the heat.