Make this Maple Flan in Ramekins for a delicious, light dessert! Pure maple syrup, 2% milk and eggs produce a healthier, low-calorie flan.
Is it Cinco de Mayo yet? Because I'm ready. I've already got my Easy Fried Ice Cream Dessert planned.
Now, I made this luscious, low-fat maple flan with berries, thanks to my new ramekins. But you could probably use a 9-inch cake pan instead.
Just promise me you'll try this; without a doubt, it's one of my favorite desserts on Cooking with Mamma C.
Don't you just love flan? I get giddy with excitement whenever I see it on the dessert menu.
I'd never tried making it though, until I was thumbing through The Complete Cooking Light Cookbook the other day, and this recipe was calling my name. I was hooked by how easy it sounded, and the fact that it uses pure maple syrup instead of any refined sugar. Plus there's 2% milk and no heavy cream.
So, I simply added a pinch of salt and berries to the recipe and went with it. I'm so glad I did.
I'm in custard heaven, and don't miss the fat at all.
More desserts to love
- Fluffy Crustless Cheesecake (NY Style)
- Sour-Cream Topped Cheesecake
- Coconut Cream Pie Cups
- Sour Cream Pound Cake
- Lemon Lush Dessert from Scratch
(Recipe Source: Slightly adapted from The Complete Cooking Light Cookbook, 2000, page 168)
Low-Fat Maple Flan with Berries
Ingredients
- 3 eggs (beaten; I use extra-large)
- cooking spray
- 1 ½ cups pure maple syrup (divided use)
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- berries for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 10 ramekins or 1 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Beat your eggs and set them aside.
- In a heavy saucepan, cook ½ cup of the maple syrup over medium-high heat, until it reaches the hard-ball stage (260 degrees F). You will need to insert a candy thermometer in the pan to monitor the temperature. It should take at least five minutes to reach this stage.
- Immediately and very carefully pour the syrup (it will be extremely hot) into your greased ramekins, trying to keep the amounts even. (The longer the syrup sits in the pan, the darker it will become until it burns.)
- Place your flour in a medium mixing bowl. Gradually add your remaining 1 cup of maple syrup, whisking until blended. Add your milk, vanilla, eggs and salt. Beat with a mixer at low speed until well blended.
- Pour the milk mixture into a measuring cup or something with a spout and evenly pour the mixture over the maple caramel in your ramekins. If using ramekins, fill 2 9x13 pans with one inch of hot water. Place the ramekins in your baking pans. (If you are using a round cake pan for the flan, you will need to add an inch of water to a large roasting pan and set your cake pan in it.)
- Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Wearing gloves, take the ramekins out of the baking pan and set them on a wire rack to cool for an hour. Then, chill the flan in the refrigerator for two hours before serving.
- To serve, invert a dessert plate over the top of a ramekin and flip over the flan onto the plate. Add blackberries, strawberries, or other berries as garnish. Only invert the servings you will need at the moment. Refrigerate leftovers for up to three days.
Kristen @A Mind Full MOm says
Just pinned--this looks so incredible. I will be making for Cinco De Mayo
Mamma C says
I hope you enjoy it, Kristen!
Cheryl "Cheffie Cooks" Wiser says
LOL too funny Andrea...Card or no card it came and went! Happy Anniversary anyway! As for the flan let me at it! Love it.
Mamma C says
Haha! Thank you, Cheryl!
Dini @ The Flavor Bender says
I love that story!! 😀 My husband and I are not so romantic and forget to buy cards for each other too - but we both appreciate and love the little things! Coincidentally, Flan (we call it creme caramel), is one of his all time favourite desserts - so if I made this, he would definitely prefer it over a card!
Mamma C says
It's the little things that turn out to be the big things. I'd take this flan over a card too! Thanks, Dini! 🙂
Bethany @ athletic avocado says
This flan looks sooo good! And no refined sugar? YES!
Mamma C says
It's a beautiful thing, Bethany! Thanks for visiting. 🙂
Anne Murphy says
I do like flan- or baked custard by any name! LOL
And I'm with you on that last paragraph... OK, a card once in a while might be nice, but having him offer to run to the store when I realize I don't have an onion? Oh, yeah, baby... LOL
Mamma C says
Oh yeah, that's foreplay right there! LOL!
Beth says
Great story! My hubby and I are the same way after 26 years! I'm going to try making your flan lactose free so I can enjoy it. Wish me luck!
Mamma C says
I'm glad you can relate, Beth! I'd be interested in hearing how you make this lactose free. Please let me know when you try it.
Derek @ Dad With A Pan says
I'll have to try this out, I've never had courage to blow up my kitchen attempting flan ; )
Mamma C says
I promise, it's easier than you think, Derek!
Kylee says
Wow, that looks incredible! What a yummy dessert idea for cinco de mayo
Mamma C says
And it's easier than I thought it'd be. Thanks, Kylee!
Mica @ Let's Taco Bout It Blog says
We are huge flan fanatics over here! This looks amazing!
Mamma C says
Thanks, Mica! I just love flan.