Pumpkin Flan Recipe

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This is a gluten free recipe that is always a hit with family and friends:

It has a number of steps, but the actual time to make it is not long.

Flan de Calabaza

I sometimes make a double or triple batch and change the amounts

accordingly - it will also take longer to cook. I will make this for

Thanksgiving for a crowd, then a little one for us for later.

1. Make caramel for bottom of dish in which you will cook the Flan.

Melt 1 cup of white sugar in a heavy metal saucepan on low to moderate

heat (if making a double or triple batch, increase the sugar

accordingly, 1 cup is for a single batch).

Stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the sugar is totally melted.

Do not allow it to get to dark or it will taste bitter.

Put in a pyrex mold and turn around to coat the bottom and 2 inches or

so of the sides.

Set aside to cool. (I like to do this the night before, so that I don't

worry the caramel, if hot, will cook the flan before baking)

Ingredients:

1.5 cups of milk

2 T. cornstarch

3/4 cup sugar

4 large eggs, slightly beaten

1.5 teaspoons of vanilla

2 T. brandy

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Add water to the bain-marie mold to come to 2/3 the height of the

flan mold when full and set in the oven. (On the day you are assembling

the flan and baking it)

3. Cut the pumpkin in chunks, removing the seeds and fibers, steam it.

Careful when cutting, due to density. I like to use kabocha (Japanese

winter squash) or other dense, dry-farmed - raised with no supplemental

water) type squash, vs regular pumpkin, because regular pumpkins are

often large, watery and not very flavorful or sweet)

4. Once you can pierce it with a fork take off heat and set aside to

cool (I also do this the day before - again, so the puree is cold or

room temperature and not hot when I add the eggs and milk)

5. Scrape the skin off and save the flesh. - Measure 2 cups of tightly

packed pumpkin puree and set aside in a bowl. Usually don't need to

squeeze out water, but if it seems watery, pour this off.

6. Dissolve 2 T. of cornstarch in 1.5 cups of milk (I put it through

small colander to get the lumps out and just blend it to make sure)

7. I then blend the pumpkin puree with the milk and cornstarch in

batches, put through a food mill (to get all the skin, fibers, etc out

and end up with a creamy result) and set in a bowl.

8. Add 3/4 cup of sugar (I sometimes use less if the pumpkin is very

sweet), 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 4 slightly beaten large eggs

9. Add the vanilla and brandy and blend well

10. Pour into the caramel glazed container (I do this through a sieve

to catch any part of the eggs that may not blend well or shells) - cover

with a sheet of aluminum, to prevent the top (eventually bottom) from

burning and set into the oven, in the bain-marie mold.

11. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a bamboo skewer inserted slightly

off center comes out clean. If doing a double batch it will take closer

to 2 hours.

12. Let sit on a rack to cool before refrigerating for a couple of

hours or longer before serving.

13. To unmold run a knife on the edge, rock back and forth to loosen

and put a plate over the container and invert briskly so you don't spill

the caramel. Scrape all the caramel you can.

I find that silicone oven mitts are great for lifting the flan out of

the oven without splashing hot water or getting burned.

Brainin- MPH, MS, RD

Coordinator Feeling Good Project

S.F. Department of Public Health, Nutrition Services

30 Van Ness Ave., Suite 3500

San Francisco, CA 94102

Tel: (415) 575-5687

Fax: (415) 575-5798

email: laura.brainin-rodriguez@...

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