When Larry and I visited Chicago a couple of weeks ago, we enjoyed a terrific meal at Frontera Grill, one of three adjoining restaurants owned by one of my favorite chefs, Rick Bayless. The evening was made even more special because we shared it with Larry’s daughter and her husband.
After appetizers and our entrées – I had the striped bass – we got down to the serious business of choosing desserts. Larry and Matt shared caramel ice cream, while Laura and I opted for a duo of flans, one vanilla and the other made with goat milk. We agreed that the goat milk flan got the gold star and I came home inspired to try to recreate it.
Last weekend at Camp Blogaway, a conference in the mountains for over one hundred food bloggers, I spied this portrait of a smiling goat. She belongs to Redwood Hill Farm up north in Sebastopol and the photo credit belongs to them. Isn’t she cute? I heard that a female goat produces a gallon of milk a day! I was surprised to find goat milk readily available in Trader Joe’s and both our neighborhood supermarkets.
Finally, many thanks to Susan for her speedy cardamom consult.
TIP: You will need six 8-ounce heatproof ramekins for this recipe.
Serves 6
- 4 large eggs
- 1 3/4 cups white sugar, divided use
- 3 cups goat milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1. Using a medium-sized saucepan with a heavy bottom, heat 1 cup of the sugar over medium heat until it begins to melt. Stir constantly until the sugar has totally melted into a light-brown syrup, about 10 minutes of stirring.
2. Divide the syrup evenly between the six ramekins, quickly turning each ramekin so as to cover its bottom and part of the sides.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. In a medium-sized bowl, beat the eggs with the remaining 3/4 cup sugar.
5. Using a medium-sized saucepan, heat the milk until just simmering, when steam begins to rise from the pan. Slowly pour into the egg-sugar mixture, stirring as you pour.
6. Add the vanilla, orange zest and cardamom. Mix well.
7. Pour the custard into the caramel-lined ramekins. Place the ramekins in a large baking dish. Use a large measuring cup to fill the baking dish with an inch of hot water.
8. Place the large baking dish in the preheated oven and bake 45 minutes, until a knife comes out clean when inserted in the middle of a flan.
9. Allow the flans to cool on a rack. Serve warm or chilled. To serve, run a sharp knife around the sides of each ramekin and invert onto dessert plates.
A trip to Wisc AND a trip to Camp Blogaway…you’ve been busy! Goat’s milk is so wonderful and I bet this flan is just lovely with it!
Thanks, Averie, it is so good to be home!
I love flan! Maybe will try with unpasturized jersey milk. It’s very creamy rich milk.
The goat milk was new to me and I think I will use it again in other recipes.
Flan is one of my favorite desserts, and I love the addition of the cardamom to this. I’ve never made one with goat’s milk, but want to try it. I’m sure I’d love it!!
I might double the cardamom next time –
The flan looks marvelous and now I’m completely intrigued with goat milk, but I buried my lede — that goat has the most charming expression on her face! So glad you had a wonderful time in the mountains and on your trip to Chicago and Wisconsin.
Thanks, Carol – the goat photo is great, isn’t it? I have another one but thought one was enough!
This sounds wonderful – I look forward to trying this with the goat’s milk.
I was surprised to find it in all our grocery stores – seemed so exotic to me.
Lynda, I used the same ramekins I bought when I tried to compete against your wonderful berry crisp 😉
I love anything with cardamom. Your photo is gorgeous. I adore your blog, it is like nostalgic nirvana.
Camp Blogaway was so much fun. I am looking forward to next year.
Cardamom is kind of new to me – I see great potential in using it!
I love cardamom! It pairs beautifully with peaches and I use it in my mango chutney too 🙂 I open up the pods and smash the black seeds with my mortar and pestle. Your photos are really great Liz, I love the first one showing the flan–great lighting and simple props…just makes you want to jump in with a spoon and eat some right now….and that goat is precious.
Yes, cardamom is my new crush.
I just adore Rick Bayless’s cooking. I can see why you were inspired. Goat cheese and cardamom, wow. Hats off to you, Elizabeth
Thanks – but we enjoyed at meal with you at Shaw’s too..X0
I’ve never made a flan before, always for fear that it won’t properly release from the ramekin. Yours looks so dang good that I might finally have to give it a try!
They come loose very easily and just pop out, Steve.
Liz – We are goat milk fans in our house because we are all lactose intolerant, though I must say I haven’t prepared much with it. I did find goat’s milk mozzarella at TJs once and that was terrific! I’m always excited for great cheese and dairy items made with lower lactose ingredients. Looks wonderful!
I’m excited for you to try my flan –
Great pictures Liz! Flan is something completely different here, lol! I’ve never tried to make your kind of flan, looks good!
It tastes just like traditional flan, only richer – subtle.
That’s so cool that the adorable goat helped inspire a new ingredient! I also spied goat’s milk yogurt at TJ’s the other day but haven’t yet tried it.
Isn’t she sweet ?!
I tried this recipe, Ive made flan before , this was a total disaster! It took 2 hrs to bake not 45 minutes, the sugar is cement in the bottom of the ramekin, it is way too sweet , the consistency is liquidy, I followed to directions to a TEE !
Did you use 8 ounce ramekins? This is my usual flan recipe – no way would they take 2 hours to bake.