Ingredients
Caramel
- 150 gcaster sugar
- 50 mlwater
- a squeeze of lemon juice
Custard
- 500 mlwhole milk
- 200 mlevaporated milk
- 100 gsweetened condensed milk
- 4eggs
- 2egg yolks
- 1 teaspoonvanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
To serve
- crushed ice
- strong Vietnamese iced coffee, optional
- a little coconut milk, optional
Equipment
- 6small ramekins or cups
- a steamer, or a roasting tin for a water bath
Directions
- Keep children out of the kitchen while it cooks. Never touch or taste caramel in the pan. Put the sugar and water in a small heavy pan. Add the squeeze of lemon juice. The acid helps stop it crystallising.
- Stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Brush the sides of the pan with a wet brush. Once the syrup is clear, stop stirring entirely. Swirl the pan gently rather than stirring it. It stays pale for several minutes.
- Take it off when it is a deep amber. A black one is burnt and must be thrown away. Pour a little caramel into each ramekin. It sets hard within about a minute.
- Beat the eggs and yolks together gently. Beat them rather than whipping air in. Warm the milk until it is steaming but not boiling. Whisk in the evaporated and condensed milks. Pour the warm milk over the eggs in a thin stream.
- Whisk continuously as you pour it in. Pouring too fast will scramble the eggs. Stir in the vanilla and the pinch of salt. Skim any foam off the surface with a spoon. Pour it gently over the set caramel in each cup. Set the cups in a steamer over gently simmering water.
- Cover each cup with foil to keep condensation out. Wrap the steamer lid in a cloth as well. Steam them very gently for about thirty minutes. The water must never boil hard. Set the cups in a roasting tin at 150C. Pour hot water halfway up their sides. Bake them for about forty minutes. Testing them tells you when to stop.
- Let the cups cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate them for at least four hours. Leave the flan in its cup or spoon it into a glass. Pile crushed ice over and around it. Pour strong iced coffee over the whole thing. Add a splash of coconut milk if you like. It keeps three days refrigerated and covered.
Technique
- Banh flan came into Vietnamese cooking through French colonial rule and has been fully absorbed since.
- Serving it over crushed ice with coffee poured on top is a Vietnamese cafe innovation rather than a French one.
Substitutions
- Fresh milk alone can replace the tinned milks, though the flan will be less rich.
- The flan can be baked in a water bath rather than steamed with almost identical results.
Variations
- Flan ca phe serves it with iced coffee poured over.
- Some cafes add a scoop of coconut ice cream alongside.
- A version flavoured with pandan is made in some places.
History
French colonial creme caramel adopted wholesale by Vietnamese cafes and street carts.
Frequently asked questions
What is Banh Flan?
Banh Flan is a dessert from Vietnam: caramel egg custard served in a cup, often with iced coffee poured over. French colonial creme caramel adopted wholesale by Vietnamese cafes and street carts.
How long does Banh Flan take to make?
Banh Flan takes 20 minutes of preparation and 45 minutes, plus chilling of cooking. The recipe makes serves 6. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Banh Flan?
Yes, within limits. Fresh milk alone can replace the tinned milks, though the flan will be less rich. The flan can be baked in a water bath rather than steamed with almost identical results.
What is the most important thing to get right in Banh Flan?
Keep children out of the kitchen while it cooks. Never touch or taste caramel in the pan. Put the sugar and water in a small heavy pan. Add the squeeze of lemon juice. The acid helps stop it crystallising.
