Puto Leche Flan

Ingredients for the flan...

4 egg yolks

1 can condensed milk

1 teaspoon of lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon of yellow color if using powder food color

For the batter:

2 cups all-purpose flour or cake flour

1 cup white granulated sugar

a pinch of salt

1 cup water

3 teaspoon baking powder

4 cups egg whites

Method:

1. Fill water on steamer 1/3 full then boil water on medium heat, while waiting for the water to boil, grease the moulds for the puto leche flan.
2. Prepare the flan by mixing the ingredients, condensed milk , egg yolk and the lemon juice then fill the greased moulds about 1/3 full. Steam for about 5 minutes then set aside.
3. Combine all ingredients for the puto batter (do not over mix the batter) then pour batter over the steamed flan just below the rim. Steam for 10 minutes.
4. Let cool then remove from individual moulds, loosen it with a knife and arrange on your favorite container.
5. Enjoy this beautiful and delicious recipe. 

Flan is a bake or steamed custard quite similar to crème caramel. It is typically made with eggs, cream or milk, gelatin and vanilla. Often, the custard is synonymous with crème caramel because it includes a layer of burnt or caramelized sugar on the bottom. Little ramekins of flan are then inverted, so the crunchy sugar is on the top.

This custard is quite popular in Latin American countries, but its origin is French. Often, flan served in Latin countries or restaurants does not have the caramel sugar layer, but instead is simply plain, more resembling Italian cream.

Sometimes, Latin American restaurants make the distinction between regular flan and dolce de leche, which served with a milk caramel sauce. Unlike crème caramel, the milk caramel sauce is added after the custard is baked and inverted. It is creamy rather than crunchy.

Flan enjoys great popularity in the US, in Latin American countries, and in the Philippines. It is also very popular in Japan, where some variants may be made with soy milk, since many native Japanese do not regularly consume cow milk.

There are also some instant flan mixes available. Thickening from these tend to come from the addition of either agar or gelatin. Authentic flan would probably not use either thickener, but would depend upon the addition of eggs to create the proper thickness. Most restaurant recipes, however, suggest gelatin. http://www.wisegeek.com