Flan frustration: Can I use bottled caramel instead of browning my own sugar?

M

marilynfl

Moderator
What would happen? I used to be able to brown the sugar for flan, but the last THREE TIMES I've totally screwed it up. I've tried pure sugar, I've tried sugar + water and I've tried sugar + Karo + lemon juice.

Nein. Non. Nada.

What would I get if I simply poured a quality bottled caramel (like Silver Palates) on the bottom and proceeded from there?

PS: I know it's just sugar that I'm wasting. It's more the frustration that I'm trying to avoid since I only make flan once a year, if that.

 
I don't think the results would be the same. Caramel sauce has cream or other additives to dilute it

It's not the same as the hardened caramel you would line your mold with. What is it that goes wrong?

I'm making 40 small flans tomorrow--perhaps we could caramelize together over the phone?

 
That sounds dangerous Joe BG. BTW I watched Pepin do flan on TV and he

did an interesting thing.

He drained all of the thin caramel sauce that usually puddles around the unfolded custard and reduced it further before pouring back over the flan.

I thought that was a great idea. Now you had a nice thick sauce that coated beautifully.

 
I used to have the knack. Did 10 9" flans in one evening with no problems. Then it all just

went away. Of course, that was a donation for a friend's church meeting, so perhaps God was my sous chef, helping things along in His ineffable way.

That method was accomplished with nothing but sugar, a cast iron pan and a little patience.

What's happening now is crystallization, regardless of method. It may be a humidity thing...I don't remember the atmospheric conditions other than I was VERY, VERY FRUSTRATED.

 
Are you:

Washing down the sides of the caramelizing pan with a clean, wet, pastry brush? Just askin'. smileys/smile.gif

 
I hope you're not stirring. Crystals on the sides of the pan can start crystalizaton too.

Humidity helps. If I'm doing a small amount I cover the pan and just let it go. The steam washes down the sides of the pan and as long as steam is coming out from under the cover you know you're OK. When the steam slows you can uncover and by then the syrup is too thick to splatter the sides to any degree. Just don't stir.

For a large amount you have to uncover the pan sooner or it will take all day. Then I use the brush dipped in water on the sides of the pan.

For flan you have to work really fast to cover the mold because it hardens really quick. But it doesn't have to be perfect--mine streaks all over the place. The moisture from the custard dissolves most of it and who's to know?

 
I've taken to making the caramel in the microwave oven. I use an oversized bowl and check it

frequently. Since using this method I haven't burned the sugar.

 
charlie: yes, I've tried lemon. Mistral, yes I've brushed it down, Joe, yes, I've been stirring.

Ah....we may have just found my problem.

I'm gonna try Sylvia's method so I won't be tempted to even attempt to stir it.

 
Stirring is probably the culprit. It's OK to swirl the pan by the handle, but not to agitate it.

 
Talk about Shades of charlie's Caramel-Pecan Black Bottom Pie REC, Marilyn! My 1st

attempt came out perfectly when making the caramel (beginner's luck?), but then w/ pies #2 & 3, my caramel crystalized and thickened 2 times in a row! I was going nuts but it turned out that adding a small amt of lemon juice solved my dilemma (charlie saved me w/ that hint!). Know that I sympathize w/ you! It is the PITS when all of a sudden you are unable to accomplish what you used to do easily. I hope you have had success again by now.

http://eat.at/swap/forum/index.php?action=display&forumid=1&msgid=91210

 
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