Caramel-Coated Pumpkin Flan

My notes are below the recipe!

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1- 15 ounce can pure pumpkin
1- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 325 F. Combine 1 cup of sugar and 1/3 cup water in small saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to boil, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush. Boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides and swirling pan, about 12 minutes. Immediately pour caramel into 7 to 8 cup souffle dish, tilting and rotating dish to coat bottom and 2 inches up sides thickly. Place dish in 13x9x2 inch metal baking pan.

Whisk pumpkin, condensed milk, sugar and spices in large bowl to blend. Whisk in eggs and yolks, then cream and vanilla. Pour custard into prepared dish. Pour enough hot water into baking pan to come 1 1/2 inches up side of dish.

Bake flan until deep brown on top and firmly set in center and blade of small sharp knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 2 hours 10 minutes. Remove flan from water, cool 1 hour. Refrigerate uncovered until very cold, at least 6 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated)

Cut around flan to loosen. Place platter on flan dish. Holding platter and flan dish together, invert, allowing flan to settle onto platter. Scrape out any caramel syrup remaining in dish and drizzle over flan. Cut flan into wedges.

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Notes:

I didn't have any allspice (also couldn't find any @ the store during the holiday mad house shopping spree). I just used pumpkin pie spice and it worked just fine!

Please don't let things like "flan dish" and "souffle dish" stop you from making this.

We were so excited to try the flan that we rushed the cooling process and didn't let it sit in the fridge long enough. It still tasted GREAT but it just wasn't "set" like a flan should be. We had our taste test and put it back in the fridge, maybe by tomorrow it will be just right!

This was the first time that I made flan. Honestly, it took a while to bake and lots of little steps. It was so worth it and over all wasn't that hard at all!!

Enjoy!

Changes

Its been a while since I have been on here. Honestly, I forgot I had this.

Since the holidays are upon us I got to thinking. I really love to cook and it seems like alot of people keep asking me for recipes that Ive just made. So since I have a blog that I never use and recipes that people want.. why not put those two together?

So to changes... maybe I will "blog" every now but mostly I will add recipes that I have tested/tried let you know how it came out, try and take pictures and let everyone know if something should have been changed or if I changed anything to it.

Now don't get all excited.. there are some recipes that I just wont share :-D

If you find something that you just want to try but not want to risk it.. let me know, maybe I will try it out for you!

Weekend Relaxation!

Wow, there is ALOT of needless information on the internet!

Well yesterday Heather, Kenzie and I hung out at the house for a while. We went to Wal*Mart, got some sidewalk chalk and bubbles! We had a BLAST! The whole back lanie is COVERED in very pretty designs! (Pictures below)

So after they left, Hector & I thru some stuff on the grill; venison sausage, hamburgers, corn on the cob and asparagus.. its was very good! Its also very nice to just spend some time with Hector.. work, life and school has been so crazy lately that it doesnt seem like we get to spend enough time together!

I woke up this morning (around 10ish) and made Biscuits and Gravy...also very yummy!!

Its crazy how quickly the weekend goes by when you need it the most! So heres to another week..
Behold the turtle. He only makes progress when he sticks his neck out.

Just starting out!

New to the whole "blogging" thing outside of myspace & facebook.

To be honest- I'm a little over both.. after a few years on both, they just get old!

OK, so I guess its a place for whatever? Ive seen a lot of peoples blogs and they have specific things for each day.. little confusing for me.. Im just going to roll with it...

Im going to go do my "research" on proper blogging etiquette- once I learn the rules.. I will be back!