leche flan recipe *tried & tested*

In the Philippines, leche flan is a VERY popular dessert.  It is a custard dessert with a layer of soft caramel on top.

The first time i made this dessert years ago, i followed the traditional way of doing it by first scalding the milk.  Scalding is the process of heating the milk just below the boiling point or until tiny bubbles form around the edges of the pan.  Back in the days, older recipes require scalding to kill potential harmful bacteria in the milk but that's not necessary anymore because almost all store-bought milk are pasteurized these days.

My mom would always make this dessert not only during birthdays and holidays but also everytime I had the crave for it.  Now that we're thousands of miles apart, I have no choice but to learn how to make it myself.  I have experimented with so many versions of leche flan and the recipe below is by far the best.  It is also similar to my mom's recipe.  Give it a try.

Tools you need:
- oval-shaped aluminum molds (llanera); you can also use a round aluminum cake pan
- steamer
- kitchen tongs
- fine mesh strainer (optional)

Ingredients
10 pieces egg yolks
1 can (14oz) condensed milk
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
zest of 1 lemon
granulated sugar for the caramel


Procedure:

1. Boil water in a steamer pot.

2.  Place the egg yolks in a big bowl then beat them using a fork

3. Add the condensed milk and mix well

4. Pour-in the evaporated milk and mix thoroughly

5. Stir in vanilla extract and the lemon zest.  Mix gently.  Do not whisk so as not to create bubbles in the custard.  Set aside.

6. Put the mold (llanera) on top of the stove and heat using low fire

7. Put in the granulated sugar on the mold -  for small or medium-sized oval-shaped llanera, use 2 tbsp sugar; 3-4 tbsp for large/jumbo. if using 9 or 10-inch round mold, use 1 cup sugar

8.  Watch closely until sugar turns into liquid (caramel) having a brown color.

9. Spread the caramel evenly to coat the bottom of the mold using kitchen tongs

Don't forget to use kitchen tongs to spread the caramel - photo uploaded 4/14/2014

10. Remove from heat and wait for a couple of minutes for the caramelized sugar to harden (it will start to crack)

11. Using a strainer, pour the mixture on the mold about 3/4 full.

12. Cover the top of the mold with aluminum foil.

13.  Arrange molds in a steamer basket and steam for 35 minutes.

14. Remove steamer basket and let the temperature cool down then refrigerate.

15.  To unmold, run a knife around the edges and carefully invert into a serving platter.


Serve cold.

Note:  Recipe yields one 10-inch round leche flan as shown in the picture above OR 4 small llaneras
          OR 2 large llaneras. 

Share and Enjoy!

Maja Blanca con Maiz

Another popular Filipino native delicacy is maja blanca made primarily from coconut milk.  As the name suggests, it is of Spanish origin and means "white delicacy."  Traditionally it is prepared by heating a coconut milk and cornstarch mixture added with milk and sugar until it thickens.  While still hot it is poured into a serving dish and allowed to cool then sprinkled with latik (browned coconut milk curds).


Over the decades it has been adapted to include other ingredients and my favorite, the version that i grew up with, is that which includes corn kernels.  It's the only version i know and it's impossible for me to imagine maja blanca without the corn. 

So in search for the perfect maja blanca recipe i turned to my favorite pinoy cooking website panlasangpinoy.com.

MAJA BLANCA
(Recipe from panlasangpinoy.com)

Ingredients
4 cups coconut milk

3/4 cup cornstarch

1 can (14 oz.) condensed milk

3/4 cup fresh milk

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 can (15 oz.) whole sweet kernel corn

latik for toppings

Procedure

1.  Pour the coconut milk in a cooking pot and bring to a boil.
2.  Add the sugar, condensed milk, and whole sweet kernel corn then stir until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
3.  Simmer for 8 minutes
4.  Combine the fresh milk and cornstarch then whisk until the cornstarch is diluted
5.  Pour the fresh milk and cornstarch mixture in the cooking pot and stir thoroughly.
6.  Allow to cook while stirring until the mixture reaches your desired thickness
7.  Pour the mixture in a serving tray then arrange and flatten the top using a flat tool such as a wooden spatula
8.  Allow to cool down then refrigerate for at least 1 hour
9.  Garnish with latik* or toasted shredded coconut
*To make latik, pour coconut milk (you will need about 1 cup) in a saucepan and cook under medium heat. Stir until oil separates from the milk then miraculously form brownish residues. Turn off the heat, drain the fat and place in a container. 

This maja blanca recipe is a keeper and i recommend that to make it authentic, always (i repeat, always) top it with latik.  I've seen some Filipino stores here sell it with toasted shredded coconut (you can buy unsweetened shredded coconut at walmart and toast it) but they just look so fake to me.  I have to warn you though that if it takes 15 minutes to cook maja blanca, it will take you twice the time (or even more) to make the latik. 

Well, what worth's having is worth sweating for. *wink*

Tinolang Manok

Very happy to see fresh malunggay leaves at the asian supermarket this morning.  Here in the US it is such a rare commodity that more often than not, i had to substitute it with spinach.  So just imagine my surprise and excitement when i found bundles of it at the supermarket, never mind that one bundle (about 10 branches) costs $3.28.

In the Philippines, malunggay trees can be easily grown everywhere and if you don't have one, you can always ask for some leaves from a neighbor (for free!).  Until now, i can visualize myself painstakingly pulling each and every leaf out of the branches while mama boils the chicken and cut the other vegetables that go with the dish.  It wasn't one of my favorite chores back then.

Yet here i am now going crazy over the mere sight of it! haha.  What's a pretty girl to do? Cook one of every filipino's favorite dishes, Tinolang Manok.  It's a chicken stew with ginger and vegetables.  The vegetables, of course, are usually green papaya and malunggay leaves.  Chayote can also be used in lieu of the green papaya.  The result is a hot and steamy chicken stew perfect for those cold rainy days or when you or anyone in the family are hit by cold or flu.  It works like magic! :)


TINOLANG MANOK

Ingredients

1 tbsp cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 thumbs garlic, cut in strips (can be adjusted to personal taste, i usually put more ginger)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 lbs chicken, cut into serving pieces
1 tbsp. fish sauce
10 cups rice washing or chicken broth
1 green papaya or chayote, sliced into wedges
2 cups malunggay leaves or pepper leaves or spinach
salt and pepper


1.  Saute the garlic, onion and ginger in hot cooking oil, cook until soft.
2.  Drop in pieces of chicken, season with fish sauce
3.  Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes.
4.  Add the rice washing (or chicken broth), put to a boil and simmer until chicken is tender (about 40 minutes)
5.  Add the papaya (or chayote) wedges and cook for 5 minutes.
6.  Add the malunggay leaves (or pepper leaves or spinach).
7.  Add salt and pepper to taste. 
8.  Serve hot.

pinoy cheese cupcakes

french-pressed coffee and pinoy cheese cupcakes for breakfast straight from my oven. hot, moist and crisp!

• Here is the recipe from food.com
• 1 3/4 cups flour, sifted
• 8 ounces sweetened condensed milk (1/2 of 14 oz can)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon orange extract (optional)
• 1/2 cup Velveeta cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup cheddar, shredded

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In a medium bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs and orange extract using electric mixer
4. Pour in flour mixture in thirds adding 1/2 can of sweetened condensed milk in between (beginning and ending with the flour mixture)
5. Add in grated Velveeta cheese and blend well.
6. Put in muffin cups 3/4 cup full only.
7. Top with grated cheddar cheese. I prefer to press the grated cheddar cheese down the dough to avoid spilling over the muffin cup.  This will avoid the muffin from sticking to the pan and makes cleaning easy.
8. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes (check your muffins after the 20-minute mark)
9. Remove from oven and top with more grated cheese if desired.
10. Stays moist for 1 week in room temperature covered in tight lid container.