Flan Week: Malbec Flan Alfajor from Argentina {Recipe}

Editor’s note: This is the second post in our Flan Week celebration in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Today is the turn of Chef Uchi from Latino Food Lovers and she brings us a Malbec flan alfajor. She says: “This is a classic family recipe of flan with caramel and whipped cream with some modernized modifications to delight. When accompanied by whipped cream and dulce de leche, the flan is called ‘mixto’ (mixed).” We hope you come back all week to check out all the different ways of making flan!

Memories often inspire us. To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, I was inspired by two sublime memories: the alfajores I savored during my childhood and good wine shared with friends.

In Argentina, there are alfajores of all kinds. You can find regional alfajores (such as the Santa Fe, the cordobeces, Mar del Plata) and the commercial ones.

Another major inspiration is the wine. In Argentina, like in most Latin America, it is the perfect companion for a barbecue (asados). There are different varieties, although Malbec has become an icon for the Argentinean wine industry.

For my recipe, I have used a touch of Malbec. For its presentation I gave this dessert an alfajor shape. It is why I called it “Malbec flan alfajor”.

Hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:

250 grs. sugar

740 ml whole milk

1 vanilla extract

1 1/2 tablespoon Malbec

250 grs. sugar

7 eggs

1 egg yolk

Dulce de leche (to taste)

Chantilly cream (to taste)

Chocolate or caramel decoration

Preparation:

Caramel

1. Prepare caramel with 250 grs. sugar and a little water in a saucepan  and cook until it begins to turn brown

2. Pour the caramel into ramekins

Flan

1. Mix milk, vanilla, Malbec wine and half the sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil in bain marie

2. Mix eggs and yolks with half the sugar

3. Add the mixture from step 2 in step 1

4. Strain the mixture through a chinoise

4. Fill the molds with the mixture and place in a deep pan with water

5. Bake at low heat (300˚F) for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the dessert gets a thick consistency

6. Let it cool and place in the refrigerator (if possible overnight)

7. Pass a knife around sides of the flan

8. Remove the mold on a tray

9. Connect the two flans with a drop of dulce de leche

10. Serve with some whipped cream and chocolate or caramel decoration

Chef Uchi Davidzon was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She is a food writer and dessert guide at About.com, a digital property of The New York Times Co. Uchi is a Pastry Chef from FCI (French Culinary Institute New York) who was awared Les Dame D´Escoffier NYC 2010. She is the founder of Lola Mora Catering NYC and publishes the Latin Food Lovers blog which was awarded the best food blog by Blogs By Latinas Awards 2011. 

The contents of this posting, including, but not limited to its text, graphics, video, and images is the exclusive property of Luciana Davidzon and is used here with her express permission. Said contents may not subsequently be used or reproduced in any way without express written permission from Ms. Davidzon. Copyright © 2011 by Luciana Davidzon. All rights reserved.