Augustina is my Grandmama and is known for many things, one of which is her Tahiti vanilla flan.
I am named after her but that doesn't mean that I am biased about her Tahiti vanilla flan being the best ever made. A few years ago our family spent ten days traveling Spain. We tried flan at every single restaurant that had it on the menu and not a one was as good as Grandmama's. I was lucky enough to have the master herself teach me and make her version with me while preparing for this post!
I am usually not a label snob when it comes to food (clothes are another story). HOWEVER, Grandmama is very specific about the brands that are used in this recipe. She insists that it be Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk and Carnation evaporated milk.
Tahiti Vanilla Flan Recipe
First you will want to put a 9 x 13 in pan with walls in the oven and fill it half way with water for your water bath.
Next, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
We started out by mixing 8 eggs in the blender on medium speed for 30-40 seconds.
Next, transfer the eggs to a medium sized mixing bowl. Then put the cans of Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk and the Carnation evaporated milk in the blender. Grandmama pours the sweetened condensed milk into the blender first then pours some of the evaporated milk into the sweetened condensed milk cans. Next she stirs it around to get all of the thick sweetened condensed milk off the inside and pours it into the blender. Blend those together on medium speed for about 30 seconds then add that to the mixing bowl with the eggs.
Next add two tablespoons of vanilla extract and stir it into the mixing bowl. Cue my unpaid advertisement of my Savory Spice Shop Tahitian Vanilla. Y'all this stuff is just too good to not use it every chance I get!
Sorry the bottle is showing signs of use! Sometimes in my excitement of cooking I get a little messy!
The next part requires your full attention so no multitasking. You need to caramelize two cups of sugar. On medium heat add two cups of sugar to a nonstick pot and stir continuously.
After a few minutes you will see the sugar start to bead up, that's when you know it is working.
Eventually the sugar will look like this, that's when you know its ready.
Next it is imperative to grab your pot holders because things are about to get HOT. You are going to transfer the caramelized sugar into your bundt pan and coat the entire inside. We used this pretty decorative one from Williams Sonoma.
After it is evenly coated then you can add the egg/milk/vanilla mixture into the pan. Then set the pan in water bath inside the oven. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. You can verify it is done by the clean toothpick method. After one hour pull the Tahiti vanilla flan out of the oven and let it cool before removing it from the pan. Make sure you transfer it to a dish with sides because there will be liquefied caramel goodness that will pour over the top.
INGREDIENTS FOR YOUR TAHITI VANILLA FLAN:
8 Large Eggs
2 cups Sugar
2 cans Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
2 cans Carnation evaporated milk
2TB Vanilla
DIRECTIONS
1. Place a 9×13 in pan in the oven and fill halfway with water. Preheat the Oven to 350°
2. Blend 8 eggs in the blender on medium speed for 30-45 seconds. Pour into medium mixing bowl.
3. Blend sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk on medium speed for 30-45 seconds. Pour into mixing bowl with eggs.
4. Add the vanilla to the bowl with egg/milk mixture and stir.
5. Put sugar in medium sized non stick pot and heat on medium. Stir continuously until sugar is caramelized.
6. Coat the inside of your bundt pan with the caramelized sugar.
7. Pour the egg/milk/vanilla mixture into the pan.
8. Place bunt pan into the water bath in the oven.
9. Bake at 350° for one hour.
10. Let the Tahiti vanilla flan cool before removing it from the pan. Place in a dish with sides because there will be liquid. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
11. Enjoy!
Disclosure: This post is not sponsored or endorsed by any of the brands listed. All opinions expressed are intellectual property of Madeleine Raiford-Holland.
