Can you get through this post without salivating over leche flan?
Tagalog speaking Australian and host of YouTube cooking show “Maputing Cooking” Chris Urbano is not a big fan of sweets. He’s always out and about promoting healthy cooking in his show, but even he has been bitten by the Christmas bug! So whenever he does binge on sweets, he says it’s got to be as sinful as it can be! What better way to treat himself to something sweet than with a Pinoy dessert favorite: THE leche flan! It’s rich and creamy flavor is enough for anybody to forget about healthy eating, at least this Christmastime. And just like what they say, ‘tis the season to go diet-free!
In every Filipino home, leche flans always equates to special and festive events. A creamy leche flan is always one of the first things on Pinoys’ favorite dessert list! So it was really a no-brainer when he was asked what he’s going to cook for dessert this holiday.
What happens though when this sweet and creamy Christmas dessert gets a twist? Let’s find out!
The rosemary and calamansi infused mixture is heated for twenty minutes before combining with egg yolks and sugar.
In Chris Urbano’s Filipino version of crème caramel, he decided to give it his touch by sneaking in rosemary and calamansi to the leche flan mixture and give it a hint of zesty flavor. Combined with egg yolks, sugar, fresh milk, condensed milk, and vanilla extract, he hoped not to butcher this well-loved Filipino dessert.
Don’t forget to strain your leche flan mixture before pouring to your llanera with caramelized sugar.
He strained the leche flan mixture with a cheesecloth to lessen air bubbles and achieve a creamier taste. And instead of cooking it via steaming, he baked it in the oven through water bath for 45 minutes to achieve better results. Baking leche flan instead of steaming it leaves you with an evenly cooked and with lesser air bubbles on your leche flan. Who wouldn’t want that?
Moment of truth:
Kristel Urbano helped in preparing this Christmas dessert!
Yay or nay?
Chris invited his wife, Kristel, over at the Maputing Cooking kitchen to be this episode’s taste tester. A little nervous at how the leche flan will turn out, Chris looks at his wife’s initial reaction after tasting. Her mom, after all, makes a mean leche flan he’s got to compete with. Kristel gave it a huge bite, and gave him her stamp of approval! His reimagined leche flan with rosemary and calamansi is a win! This melt-in-your-mouth dessert will definitely be present in his family’s Noche Buena table this year!
Muscat’s sweet taste is perfect for leche flan.
Wine connoisseur Urbano paired the leche flan with Australian dessert wine Muscat, and the leche flan’s taste was made even better! Their sweetness complemented each other; like they were made for each other.
If you’re still having a hard time deciding what to serve your family and friends for Christmas parties or your reunion, why not try this fresh take on leche flan to even sweeten your Christmas? Both kids and adults will go crazy over this “new” dessert!
Watch the video below for the entire episode:
Don’t forget to subscribe to Maputing Cooking here and visit maputingcooking.com for the complete recipe.
