Flan - Authentic Mexican Flan
Flan is a term used to describe the Spanish, Mexican and Portuguese version of Crème Caramel that is a custard dessert with a sweet layer of soft caramel on top. The caramel flan is a very popular dessert in Spain and Mexico, the flan recipe typically consists of whole eggs, milk, vanilla extract for an exquisite vanilla flavoring and a caramel coating. The word Flan actually came from the old French “flaon” that was derived from the Latin word “flado” which means flat cake. There are other flavor alternatives such as almonds and various fruits. This section covers the history of flan, important facts and the flan related products you can find at MexGrocer.com.
The origins of Flan have been traced as far back as ancient Rome, where recipes containing this popular dessert were found. The Romans developed a custard concoction known as Flan, with the use of eggs for domesticated chickens they kept and the culinary knowledge of the Greeks. Although this tasty dish wasn’t as sweet as the flan we know today, it was aromatic and had a pleasant flavor since it was sweetened with honey.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, the Flan survived through years of transition, violence and barbarian invasions, making its way into Medieval Europe. It remained a sweet dish made from the mixture of eggs and crème to form the popular custard. The popularity of this sweet dessert spread all throughout Europe, in Spain it became a sweet custard dessert that was typically made with caramelized sugar which would later be adopted by Mexico.
In England the love for pastries led them to develop a different kind of custard from the typical Spanish and Mexican flan. The English created a pastry shell with an open top that was filled with custard and mixed with either fruits or nuts. The sweet custard came to the Americas upon Christopher Columbus’s discovery of the New World when he brought the Spanish culture with him (flan included). It has become linked to Mexico as a signature dessert of the country, flan is found in virtually every restaurant and kitchen. The traditional Mexican caramel flan recipe is made with sugar, eggs, vanilla and milk, though condensed milk from Nestle’s La Lechera is typically used. The custard is usually baked in a pan with a removable bottom so it can later be turned out of the mold and onto a plate for serving.
If you’re craving to have a delicious Mexican flan or are looking for a wonderful dessert to bring to a party, then look no further because MexGrocer.com has everything you need to make this simple and savory dessert. So be ready to impress your friends with a tasty caramel flan that is finger licking good. Do you want to learn how to make this delicious custard dessert? Then you should start with our Gelatina Artistica – Guia Practica para Gelatinas (Artistic Gelatin – Practical Guide to Gelatins) by Maria del Carmen Suarez, that has over 100 recipes flan included. If you don’t want to make flan from scratch you can quickly and deliciously whip up this dessert with our Royal, Roland and D’Gari flan mixtures so you can create any custard variation: caramel, Spanish or rompope.
If you want to give a sweet gift to your family and friends, you can do so through our two special gift packs that will allow you to introduce your loved ones to Mexico’s most beloved desserts. The Mexican Food Sweet ‘n Delicious Gift Pack and The Real Mexican Dessert Pack both include flan products.
