Flan Recipe [ in pressure cooker ]
Sunday, August 21, 2022
Pressure Cooker Flan: If you love flan and dread cooking in oven for over hour and half, you are not alone. But if you are comfortable using a pressure cooker (traditional or electric or instant pot), this is a quick and easy recipe. To be honest, I don't know what I would do with out a pressure cooker. Most of my recipes are prepared using pressure cooker. I grew up watching my mom and everyone in the family using them. My mom used to make flan, custard pudding, caramel bread pudding etc., in pressure cooker, so I knew how to make them in pressure cooker. Actually, I never tried baking them in oven. The time required to prepare in oven discourages me to even try :P
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup - granulated white sugar
- 2 tbsp. - water
- 2 cups - half-and-half or milk or coconut milk
- 1 14oz can - sweetened condensed milk
- 3 - eggs
- 1 tbsp - vanilla extract
- 1 tsp - dark rum (optional)
- Required equipment: a flan pan or round baking dish.
Method:
- In a small saucepan, heat white sugar over medium heat until all of the sugar has melted and turned amber. Remove from heat and carefully add the 2 tbsp of water (watch out for the steam). Stir until all of the water has mixed in, then pour into your flan mold or round baking dish. Set aside to cool while you make the flan mixture.
- Combine the eggs, half-and-half, condensed milk, and vanilla in a blender. (also add rum if desired) Blend until combined and no streaks remain. Gently pour into your prepared flan mold, then cover.
- Pour 1 cup of water in to your pressure cooker, and let the water come to a boil. Place a trivet or a wire stand in the center.
- Close the flan-mold and seal. If using a baking pan, cover the pan with aluminum foil to seal.
- Carefully place the flan mold/pan on a trivet.
- Close cooker lid. Bring to full pressure on high heat. Reduce heat and cook 12 minutes. [do not put the pressure-weight]
- After time is up, turn off the pressure cooker and allow the pressure to release naturally for another 12 minutes. Remove flan from pressure cooker and uncover (flan should be slightly jiggly in the center, but not watery). Allow to cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight) before serving.
- Serve: Run a paring knife around the edge of the cup to loosen the custard. Set a plate on top of the flan-mold/pan, grab both the pan and the plate, and flip them together. Gently tap on the top, and lift the pan off of the flan - tap gently on the plate to unmold if it sticks. Pour rest of the melted caramel from the pan over the flan. Cut the flan, serve, and enjoy!
Makes about 8 servings.
Variations:
- To make an Irish Cream Flan, replace 1/2 cup of half-and-half with 1/2 cup of your favorite brand of Irish Cream and reduce the vanilla extract to 1 teaspoon. Do NOT use milk, or your flan might curdle.
- To make a dulce de leche flan, replace the can of condensed milk with a can of dulce de leche.
Labels: Baking, condensed milk, Desserts, Holidays, Pie, Sweet
Banoffee Pie
Saturday, August 20, 2022
This is my sister's creation. She is into cakes and pies. And why not, she loves western desserts and pastry. When she was in grade school, it was a must that there should be a slice of cake in her lunch box everyday. Well, sometimes, only the cake would be gone, rest of the lunch would came back :P Since she is the youngest in the house, everyone would be worried and fuss around her. She was such a picky eater ... I think, she still is. I know she is going to chase me for mentioning it here. Well! I don't mind, after all what are younger sister for :))
INGREDIENTS:
Pie Base/Crust :
- Digestive biscuits - 20 to 30 ( depending on the size the pie)
- Melted Butter
- Optional: Cinnamon powder
Filling:
- 2 or 3 - Bananas
- 1 tsp - lime/lemon/orange juice
- 2 cups - whipped cream or cold heavy cream
- 2 tbsp. - granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup - grated chocolate/shredded coconut/chopped pecans for topping , optional
- Dulce De Leche or ( preparation with Condensed Milk given below) - 200 grams/7 oz Can
METHOD:
Preparing Dulce De Leche:
If you’re able to find store-bought dulce de leche, you don’t have to bother with making an homemade version because, a store-bought one is just as good. I realized that the easiest way to prepare Dulce De Leche is by using pressure cooker. That is when ready Dulce De Leche is not available (like in India)
- Take water in the pressure cooker
- Keep the condensed milk tin upright in the cooker
- Ensure it is completely immersed in the water with at least half inch of water above the tin.
- Close the lid of the cooker and cook
- After 1 whistle, lower the flame and cook for 10 mins (do not overcook, as this will make it thicker, and messy to spread on the pie)
- Allow it to cool down (do not remove the can from cooker until it is completely cooled down, generally, I leave it over night)
- When you open the tin it should look something like this, light brown.
Prepare Crust:
- To make crumbs, pulse biscuits in a food processor until finely ground. You can pulse the sugar along with the biscuits in the food processor.
- In a medium bowl, stir together crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until combined and moistened.
- Using your fingers, press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan and up the sides to form an even layer.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for one hour, until firm (or, optional - for a crispier crust, bake the crust at 350ºF for 5 minutes. Cool before filling).
Banoffee Pie:
- Spread dulce de leche gently on top of the prepared crust and smooth the top.
- Slice bananas thinly.
- Mix and coat banana slices with lime, lemon or orange juice to prevent them from oxidizing and turning black.
- Lay banana slices over the dulce de leche in one even layer.
- Using a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract on high speed until soft peaks form. Avoid overbeating.
- Spread whipped cream over bananas.
- Garnish with grated chocolate/shredded coconut/chopped pecans.
- Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.
- Pie will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge.
NOTE: If available, use spring-form pan. Make it is easy to remove and cut the pie to serve.
Labels: Banana, condensed milk, Desserts, Holidays, Pie, Sweet
Maple Pecan Pie
Thursday, November 23, 2017
Pies are made as desserts during holiday season. My favorite are pumpkin pie, apple pie and pecan pie.
Ingredients:
- 1½ cup - pecan halves toasted
- 3 - eggs ( or ¾ cup applesauce for egg-less pie)
- ⅔ cup - Golden brown sugar, tightly packed
- ⅔ cup - Pure maple syrup
- 3 tbsp - corn syrup
- 6 tbsp - unsalted butter, melted
- ½ tsp - salt.
- 1 unbaked - 9 inch ready piecrust (or prepare one at home. Recipe here)
Method:
- Position the rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 3500F
- Finely chop 1 cup of pecans.
- Whisk the eggs ( or applesauce), brown sugar, and salt until well blended in a medium bowl.
- Stir in both syrups and butter.
- Add chopped pecans to the mixture.
- Pour the mixture into the unbaked piecrust. Spread the mixture evenly.
- Decorate rest of the pecan by arranging them on the top and press them slightly into the mixture.
- Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set. About 35 minutes, depends on the oven.
- Cool completely.
Note: For regular pecan pie, just skip the maple syrup and instead of 3 tbsp, add 1 cup of corn syrup .
Pie may be made a day ahead. Store at cool room temperature.
Labels: Baking, Desserts, Holidays, Pie, Sweet
Thanksgiving - Apple Pie
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Apple Pie
For Pie Crust (10inch -double layer)
All-purpose flour (shifted) 3 cups
Shortening 1 cup(Cube)
Water (chilled) 4 Tbsp
Baking Pdr(optional) pinch
Salt 1/2 tsp
For Filling:Apples 4 nos.
Brown Sugar 1/2 cup
Butter 2 tblsp
Cornstarch 1 tblsp.
Salt Pinch
Cinnamon Pdr. 1/4 tsp.
Nutmeg Pdr. A Pinch
Method:1. Sift together flour and salt. Divide shortening in half. Cut in first half till mixture looks like corn meal. Then cut in remaining half of the butter. Gently toss around the mixture to look like breadcrumbs. Keep the mixture in the refrigerator for over 10 mins.
2. Mean while, peel the skin off the apples and slice. Sieve Cornstarch, cinnamon pdr., nutmeg pdr and mix all with little water until no lumps are left. On a low heat, put 2 tblsp butter in a sauce pan, add apple slices, brown sugar and little water. Close the lid and allow the apples to partially cook. Add the salt and cornstarch mixture. Cook for few more minutes.
3. Butter the 10 inch pie pan and lightly dust in with flour. Keep the pan in refrigerator for better results.
4. Take out dough mixture and add little chilled water and knead. Keep in refrigerator for 5 minutes. Divide the dough into two equal parts. Lightly dust the surface with flour. Flatten and roll on part of the dough into 1/8 inch thick and about 12 1/2 inch in diameter. Always roll from the center to the edge of the dough with light strokes. If the edges split, pinch together using fingertips. Gently transfer pastry to the pie plate, fitting loosely on to bottom and sides. Trim to one inch beyond edge and fold under.
5. Preheat the oven 350 F. Fill the cooked apple mixture to the pie plate. Roll the other half of the dough. Slice into 1/2 inch thick strips and drape over filled pie shell in a crisscross pattern; Press the edge with your finger tip. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle the top with Cinnamon.
~ Happy Thanksgiving! ~
- ~ o O o ~ -
Labels: Baking, Holidays, Pie, Sweet
