Flan

From:  The Foods and Wines of Spain by Penelope Cass
(Modified by B. Dushaw, flan expert.)

Requires:  6 small pyrex or ceramic cups, and a large 
baking pan such as is used to roast a turkey and foil to loosely cover.

Ingredients:
3 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon lemon rind
6 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 cup milk

Caramel:  10 tablespoons granulated sugar

The two steps in making flan are:  
	1) making caramel for bottom of baking cups and 
	2) making the custard

To make the caramelized sugar:  heat the 10 Tbls. granulated sugar 
in a sauce pan on medium-low until it begins to melt.  Do not stir 
as that will lead to clumps of sugar and irregular melting.  As 
sugar melts, slowly swirl the melted sugar to help melt the granulated 
sugar.  When it is about half melted, raise temperature to medium-high.  
By the time all sugar is melted, the liquid should be the color of 
straw.  You may stir at this time - raise pan from heat to control 
heating and prevent sugar from burning.  The sugar is caramelized 
when it has reached an amber color (or begins to smoke - stop heating 
immediately when it begins to smoke.)  Immediately pour about a 
tablespoon of caramelized sugar into the bottom of each baking cup, 
and swirl each cup to cover bottom and part of the sides.  The amount
of caramelized suger is not as important as the surface area that 
contacts the custard.  Fill the sauce pan with water immediately; 
the sugar will soon all dissolve for easy cleaning.  

N.B.:  When the flan is finished, the custard acts to dissolve the 
caramelized sugar and create the syrup which is the essence of flan.  
Hence, flan is best after it has sat in the refrigerator for a day or 
so to give the caramel time to dissolve.

To make the custard:  with a wire whisk, lightly beat together the whole 
eggs and the yolks.  Add the lemon rind, sugar and milk and whisk those
ingredients in.  Pour the liquid into the cups with the caramelized sugar
and then place the cups in a large shallow pan (e.g., a large roasting 
pan) of hot water.  Water should rise to reach level of custard in cups.  
Cook on top of the stove over medium flame for 1 hour.  While simmering, 
cover everything loosely with foil; the water will never really come to a 
boil.  After an hour, remove the foil and transfer roasting pan, water, 
and cups to a 350 deg.F oven and continue cooking for about 25 minutes, 
or until a knife inserted in the custard comes out clean.  Try to avoid 
having a well-cooked film form on top of the flan - it is sometimes 
helpful to circulate the cups about halfway through baking to avoid 
cooking the various cups unevenly.  Remove the cups from the water, 
cool, and then refrigerate.  To serve, loosen the sides of the custard 
with a knife, cover with a small desert dish, invert and shake up and 
down vigorously.  Spoon out remaining caramel sugar, if desired.

Optional:  Serve with fresh berries.