A fan of flan

This summer we hosted 2 teen aged girls from Belgium who came with their dance and flag throwing group www.vredon.be to the International Dance and Music Festival. Soetkin turned 16 while she stayed with us. I asked her what her favorite cake was and she said flan. 

I immediately thought of the flan shells my Mother always made and made it for her birthday. It's also what I made when I was in college and won a cooking contest with.  I won a Hamilton Beach mixette with this recipe and I still use it today.  It turns out Belgian Flan isn't the same. Oops! Just goes to show you how our environment shapes our perceptions. I would have googled "Belgian Flan" had I not had this perception in my head, which I did later that night and found http://www.recipezaar.com/304379, but alas, it was the thought that counts, I guess.

I'll have to email her and ask for her Mother's Belgian Flan recipe.  Here are my Mother's recipes:

Flan Shell #1

Crumble together:
1/2 lb. margarine
3 c. flour
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Add:
3 beaten eggs
1 can evaporated milk
2 tsp. almond or lemon extract

For a lower fat and sugar version try:   

1 cube margarine

1 envelope Butter Buds mixed with 1/2 cup hot milk 

1 small pkg. instant vanilla pudding

1 1/2 cups sugar

Blend well then add:

3 beaten eggs

1 can evaporated skim milk

2 tsp. almond or lemon extract

Now add the 

3 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp salt.

Beat well. Grease and flour Flan pan. This recipe makes 2 large or 3 small Flan shells plus 12 muffins.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  These freeze well and are nice to have on hand.

Flan Shell #2

1 yellow cake mix (or chocolate)
1/3 cup flour
2 eggs
Use milk instead of water in the amount the mix calls for.

Divide the batter between 2 large Flans that have been well greased and floured. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Let set only for 1 minute, then take out of the pan to cool.

Filling #1

1 c. whipping cream
1 8 oz. pkg. softened cream cheese
1 c. powdered sugar
Mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar well.
Add the whipped cream.
Pour into 2 prepared Flan shells. Let set.
Top with one of the toppings.

For a less fat version try:

Prepare 1 small instant vanilla pudding

Add 4 ounces softened, light cream cheese

and 1 cup cottage cheese finely blended.

Filling #2

1 pkg. instant pudding
1 c. milk
1 c. sour cream
Mix as directed on box.
Top with one of the toppings.

Topping #1

2-3 cups fresh strawberries
Arrange these on the Flan. Make 1 pkg. Junket Danish Strawberry Dessert as directed on box for PIE, but adding 1/4 c. sugar more. Cool some and pour over strawberries. Enough for 2 flans.

Topping #2

2-3 pkgs. frozen raspberries thawed and drained. Mash some of the raspberries and add the liquid, thicken with cornstarch. When cool, pour over the rest of the raspberries Danish dessert.

Rich Chocolate Filling

3/4 large Hershey bar
20 large marshmallows
1/3 c. milk
Melt together in a double boiler or microwave. Cool.
Whip 2 cups whipping cream until stiff.
Add to chocolate mixture.
Then mix in 2-3 Heath bars that have been crumbled. Fills 2 flan shells.

You can fill the flan shells with anything your heart desires, like fresh fruits, whipped cream or maybe your favorite pie filling.

Family Favorites:

1 1 lb. 4 oz. can of pineapple (crushed or tidbits or chunks), well drained
1 c. whipping cream, whipped and sweetened or light cool whip or dream whip
Fold together and pour into Flan shell. Top with shaved chocolate.

Fill flan with wilderness pie cherry filling and top with sweetened whipping cream.

Chocolate flan filled with banana cream pudding and sliced bananas. Top with whipped cream.

Anita's Favorite-- Fresh Peach Flan:

Crust:  flan shell #1 (bundt cake)

Bottom layer: cream cheese and sugar

Top: layer of fresh peaches (or 5.5 oz. can, lower sugar amount some)

Glaze: 1 c. apricot nectar, 1/4 c. lemon juice, 3/4 c. sugar, 3 T corn starch, a little lemon jello powder

Boil until thickened.  Cool. Spread on top of the peach layer.  Serve!

Tuula's Chocolate Flan 

1 cube margarine

3/4 cup powdered sugar

cream together

add 1 oz melted chocolate

vanilla sugar -- liquid vanilla extract makes it runny

2 eggs, one at a time

beat 4-5 minutes each

Scrape bowl often.  Decorate with whipped cream and chocolate shavings and sliced almonds.

Cardamom Crumble Cake

My husband helped me make this red white and blue "Cardamom Crumble Cake" the morning of July 4th when we were headed to the parade and needed a breakfast to take with us.  Our neighbor who sat by us at the parade requested the recipe, so here it is.

Cardamom Crumble Cake
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup softened butter
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup frozen raspberries

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the streusel topping (recipe below). Beat remaining ingredients in large bowl. Gently add and fold in 1 cup frozen blueberries and 1 cup frozen raspberries (optional, as he added them for the 4th of July). Spread half of the batter into a greased 9x13 pan; sprinkle with half of the streusel; top with the remaining batter; sprinkle with the rest of the streusel. Bake until toothpick comes out clean about 35-40 minutes.

Streusel
1 cup chopped nuts
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cardamom
6 tbs. firm butter
* or use 1 tsp cinnamon and omit cardamom and vice versa according to your taste. This day it was only cardamom.

Mix all ingredients until crumbly.

Gold Medal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Since we love to try different cookie recipes, and since this was on the back of the Gold Medal flour bag I just opened, I decided to try their

Extraordinary Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon almond extract (I added this)
4 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bag (24 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips (4 cups)
For nut lovers; stir in 2 cups coarsely chopped nuts with the chocolate chips.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In large bowl, cream butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs on medium speed or with spoon until light and fluffy. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt (dough will be stiff). Stir in chocolate chips.

On ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by tablespoonfuls or #40 cookie/ice cream scoop 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly.

Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until light brown (centers will be soft). Cool 1 to 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies

Yummy!

Fire Bread

Since our youngest was just tiny, he has called "Fry Bread" at the Mountain Man Rendezvous, "Fire Bread"! It's mainly because he used to watch the Mountain Woman make them over a fire and because he ate them hot!

In anticipation of this event this week, we made them at home. We usually eat them for "Pioneer Day" as well in honor of our Mormon pioneers who ate them frequently along the Mormon Trail to Utah.

I've used the "Tiger Ears" recipe posted September 2007 usually, but decided to use this new one from the book "Boarding the Ark Today" which has recipes to make from your food storage.

Fry Bread
This bread is traditionally used as an edible plate.

2 cups flour, white or wheat
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup oil or shortening
1/2 to 2/3 cup water

Mix flour, baking powder and salt in bowl. Add oil and water all at once and mix with fork until soft dough forms; knead for 2 to 3 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Form dough into 6 to 8 balls. Flatten each ball into a 6 to 7 inch circle. Deep fry in hot oil until crisp, about 1 minute on each side. Bread can also be baked on a griddle although it does not have the same traditional flavor. Serve with honey, honey butter (see recipe below) or sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
From "Boarding the Ark Today", page 30.

We had these for breakfast one with ham and cheese on it and another with honey butter on it. I served Cantaloupe with them.

You can also use these for lunch or dinner as Najavo Tacos where you top the fry bread with your favorite beans, grated cheese, diced hot peppers and onions, chopped tomatoes and shredded lettuce, etc.

Honey Butter
Making good fluffy honey butter is almost a lost art. A must for hot breads.

1 cube butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

Whip butter until light and fluffy. Slowly add honey and vanilla. Adding honey too rapidly makes the butter lose its thick, fluffy consistency. Whip 2 to 3 minutes longer; cover and refrigerate. Stores well. Serve at room temperature.
From "Boarding the Ark Today", page 46.

Note: Our local pizza chain serves honey butter so that you can use it on your pizza crusts!

Let's Make and Break Bread Together

My Mother-in-law can whip up some homemade bread, rolls, french loaves or cinnamon rolls in nothing flat it seems. She uses this recipe for all of these variations. It's a family favorite which I've never made myself until today. It was so easy and is so yummy. Thanks to her for sharing her recipe with me and others all over the world over the years. She has taught many to make and break bread together!

Darla's Bread or Roll Recipe

In a large bowl or mixer, mix the following ingredients together (in order given):
2 1⁄2 cups of lukewarm water
2 tablespoons of yeast
3 tablespoons of sugar (white)
1 tablespoon or 2 teaspoons of salt
5 tablespoons (tbsp) of light olive oil or canola oil
6-7 cups of flour (may substitute) a couple cups of whole wheat flour

Blend in half of flour and mix well. Stir in the remaining flour a little at a time until dough rolls into a ball without being sticky. Lightly oil outside of ball with a small amount of oil on your hand, cover and let double in size.

For French Loaves: Cut dough in half and roll into two rectangles. Roll into loaves. Roll into a roll. Put seam on the bottom. Make slashes on the top of loaves with a knife and brush with egg whites. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake on a stone or cookie sheet in hot oven (400/425 degrees for 20 t0 25 minutes until golden brown. Let cool on wooden board or something that won't sweat. Enjoy!

For Dinner Rolls: Shape as desired and bake same temperature for about 20 min.

For Cinnamon Rolls: Cut dough in half. Shape into a rectangle and spread with a thin layer of margarine. In a small bowl mix approximately 2 cups of brown sugar with about 4 tsp. of cinnamon. Spread about half of the mixture on the rectangle. Roll up and slice into about 1 inch cinnamon roll slices. Turn on sides and place on a cookie sheet. Let them double in size. Bake as above and ice with the following glaze or frosting:
2 cups of powdered sugar or icing sugar
1⁄4 cup of margarine
1 tsp vanilla
Just enough milk to make a thick icing. Spread a thin layer on rolls while warm.