Vanilla Flan

 

            I visited my aunty the other day and she served me caramel custard which she bought from a famous coffee shop in Ipoh Town. It was tasty though but you somehow get a slight taste of the egg used in making this custard. So the other day I went to Wah Seng to get some baking supplies and I came across this Vanilla Flan Powder. I read the instuctions on the back of this container and was amazed that I can do this caramel custard by just adding this vanilla flan powder to the boiling milk and letting it set, habis cerita ........ no steaming or baking in the oven!
            So I bought this vanilla flan powder (vanilla flavoured flan mix) which comes in a 2 kg packaging in a bottle. I went back home and last Saturday made this wonderful caramel custard using the vanilla flan powder . Well, Flan is a Spanish name for Vanilla Egg Custard topped with caramel sauce. It is a Spanish dessert enjoyed in many Latin-American countries. I whipped up this recipe and guess what....just did it in 15 minutes.



Vanilla Flan
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar + 3 tbsp water (to make the caramel)
• 125 gm vanilla flavoured flan mix
• 1 liter fresh/full cream milk

Method:

1. Heat sugar and water in small heavy-duty sucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes until dissolved and caramel coloured. Quickly pour onto bottom of moulds and swirl around the bottom and sides to coat.
2. In a saucepan, bring milk to boil, then add in the vanilla flan powder little by little stirring constantly.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Pour into moulds coated with the caramel and chill in refrigerator till set.

 

Agar-Agar Santan Gula Melaka (Palm Sugar Coconut Jelly)

         

 Attended a birthday dinner the other day and they served agar-agar gula melaka for dessert. I love this jelly as it has a white layer (combination of coconut milk and egg) atop this jelly. This jelly is indeed delicious as the sweet aroma and taste of the gula melaka (palm sugar) combined with the layer of coconut atop of the jelly really tingles one's tastebuds. We have to add a little sugar to this jelly as the palm sugar is not that sweet.....the colour varies from dark brown to a light golden colour. 

          Gula Melaka, otherwise known in English as Palm Sugar or (direct translation) 'Malacca Sugar' originated from Malacca (in Malay language - Melaka), one of the states in Malaysia. Palm Sugar is made from the sap of the flower bud of a coconut tree which then is boiled until thickened and packed into bamboo tubes forming it's cylindrical shape. When added to jelly it gives a rich dark caramel and buttterscotch flavor. 

          This dessert is my family's favorite.  I less the amount of sugar I use in this recipe as I don't like my desserts to be too sweet. Actually my MIL ticks be off if anything I cook is too sweet....hmm, healthy living, I guess! Sometimes it's good to have an experienced person around to advice us on certain matters...agree with me??? Now let's get to our recipe...........

Agar-Agar Santan Gula Melaka (Palm Sugar Coconut Jelly)

Ingredients:

• 10 gm jelly powder
• 1 packet gula melaka (gula gabung)~ 110 gm
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 pandan leaf (screwpine leaf)
• 125 ml coconut milk undiluted (from 1/2 coconut)
• 800 ml water
• a pinch of salt

Method: 

1.  Boil the water, then add the jelly powder and stir. After it as dissolved completely add in the pandan leaf which has been tied into a knot), sugar and gula melaka and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer (for about 2 mins) until all has completely dissolved.
2. Strain the above mixture and return it to the stove and bring it to a rolling boil.
3. In a bowl beat together coconut milk and egg together, then add a pinch of salt.
4. Return the jelly mixture to the stove and bring it to a rolling boil and then turn off the heat completely. 
5. Now add the coconut milk and egg mixture to the jelly mixture and give it a few stirs.
6. Pour the jelly into a mould and leave it to set.
7. When cool, chill it in the refrigerator. This jelly separates into 2 layers - a clear palm sugar layer and a coconut layer at the top.

Fruit Cocktail Jelly

This milky fruity jelly pudding is mouth watering. Tried this recipe and just loved it's rich taste and so I would like to share it.

Milky Fruit Cocktail Jelly

Ingredients:

• 11  gm jelly powder
• 1   can fruit cocktail
• 3   tbsp custard powder
• 1   cup sugar
• 1   litre water (water + cocktail juice)
• 2   eggs
• 1   tsp vanilla essence
• 200 ml evaporated milk

 Method: 

Cook jelly with water and sugar  till it dissolves. While waiting for this to boil, beat eggs with vanilla and custard powder. Mix egg mixture thoroughly and keep it aside. Once sugar has dissolved, add in evaporated milk and let it come to a gentle boil. Add egg mixture and stir it constantly to prevent egg mixture from curddling. Lastly add in cocktail juice and fruit cocktail. Pour it into moulds and let it set before putting it in the fridge.