Flan in a Jar-O!

 Flan in a Jar-O!

Prep: 10 min
Bake: 30 min
Eat: 1 hour
Originally, I was looking for a solid recipe that I could translate into bigger quantities, so I could serve it at the restaurant I manage. I also have trouble measuring things, so I was looking for simple ingredients.
This makes 9, 4oz. mason jars.
You will need:
Bain maries, I used two of my 13x9 glass cake pans and filled them half way up with water.
A whisk, fine mesh strainer, a jar lifter or some tongs.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Place bain maries onto the middle rack.

Ingredients:
Caramel:                                                
1 cup sugar*                                                  
1/3 cup water   

Custard:
1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk
1 1/4 cup of organic whole milk
1/4 tsp. of apple pie spice
1/2 tsp. of mexican vanilla or quality vanilla
3 large eggs (I used fresh from my chickens)
4 large yolks

In a small saucepan, add the sugar* (use what ever sugar you like, I use turbinado, but have successfully used brown,white, and piloncillo.) and water and start to boil. It will take a while for the amber color to start forming. You will want to stir, but don't. I found the color I wanted started to form in around 10 minutes, I like a light amber color, my husband likes burnt marshmallows, so we compromised. Be careful during this stage, the color will darken quickly and is hotter than Pompeii.
Pour a small amount into the bottom of each jar, you can use all of the liquid or make sugar nests on wax paper (mine didn't turn out).

Notice the caramel on the bottom

Next pour everything** (apple pie spice is just nutmeg and cinnamon) except the eggs into a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until everything is incorporated and hot. In a large bowl whisk the eggs together. The next steps go pretty quickly. Pour the hot milk into the eggs while whisking (if you do it the other way around the flan tastes like an omelette), then pour the mixed liquid back into the pot through a fine mesh strainer. Next ladle the liquid custard into the jars, I filled them to just about the screw line. Cook in the ban maries for 30 minutes. Remove the bain marie from the oven and let set for about 8-10 minutes. Take the custard carefully out of the water and either serve warm or chill.  I like mine plan but you can dress it up with fresh fruit or whip cream.

To remove from the jar, just slide a knife around and place a plate over the top and flip over. Not all of the caramel will come out, thats okay. Or you can dress it up and eat it right out of the jar. Clean up is a breeze, just soak in hot water and soap, clean and you are ready to make more flan!
This flan will be super creamy with a nice creme brulee tasting caramel.
Enjoy!