Caramel Custard Flan (with less egg)

Caramel Custard is something we have in India , Usually we steam it instead of baking as Baking is not that popular in our place...though nowadays people have started thinking out of the box.
Flan in the US is like a Rich version of caramel custard , and its usually made with more eggs to set , which I didn't want as our weekly quota of eggs then shoots up.

As someone once said

WE ARE ON A SEA FOOD DIET ,
WE SEE FOOD AND WE EAT IT 

That is what is happening here , anyway its better to believe

Hence I decided to cut down the eggs used for making flan and make it light.

 Ingredients

Eggs - 2 no's
Evaporated Milk - 1 cup
Milk - 1/4 cup
Condensed milk - 1/2 tin (or use less and add sugar to sweeten it up)
Corn starch - 3/4 table spoon.
Vanilla - 1 tsp
Almond essence - 1/2 tsp(Optional , I didn't use it)

For the Caramel

1/4 cup sugar
2 to 3 table spoon of water.(if you want caramel to be dark , do not add water , but increase the amount of sugar)

Method

* Preheat the oven to 325 Degree F.
* Mix Corn starch in 1/4 cup milk and keep aside.
* In a pan , heat sugar for the caramel (1/4 Cup) and wait for it to melt , when its all melted and reaches your desired color (light brown to dark brown) add water (if using) , keep the heat in low to medium .Care should be taken while pouring water to the caramel ,  initially is solidifies and then its slowly melts.
when its all melted again carefully pour this syrup to the baking pan/ pudding dish/ or use Ramekins to get that individual size.Let it sit for sometime.

* Beat egg with evaporated milk and condensed milk for 2 to 3 minutes till well mixed.

* Add the Flour mixed milk to the egg mixture and beat again , add the flavoring essence.Beat till everything is well mixed.
* Pour this mixture over the caramel syrup. Keep this pudding mixture dish on a larger bake ware, pour water on the base (Larger bake dish) , till water reaches up to 3/4rth up of the pudding dish.

* Bake uncovered in the water bath for 50 minutes to 1 hour , till a fork or knife when inserted in the center comes out clean.
* Once it cools a bit , refrigerate for an hour. Un-mold by running a knife through the inside edges , place a plate on top of the pudding dish and turn over , tap on the pudding dish and the flan should drop on the plate.

Notes : Use more egg for the best results , if 1 more egg is added to this recipe , omit the corn starch/flour and milk. As egg helps to set and it wont be difficult to unmold too.
            Use little sugar to this recipe if you like this dish to be more sweet.

Cheers
TN