Crème caramel
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Crème caramel, known as flan in the US and Spanish speaking countries, is a kind of rich custard dessert with a layer of soft caramel on top. Both names are of French origin. The dish has spread across Europe and the world, and is known as 'flan' in Spanish-speaking countries. In the United States, the dish is now best-known in a Latin American context, so is called flan; in Europe, it is generally known as crème caramel, although in the UK it is sometimes colloquially called "caramel custard". Food historian Alan Davidson remarks:
- "In the latter part of the 20th century crème caramel occupied an excessively large amount of territory in European restaurant dessert menus. This was probably due to the convenience, for restaurateurs, of being able to prepare a lot in advance and keep them until needed." <ref>Davidson, s.v. crème caramel</ref>
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[edit] Preparation
Crème caramel is a variant of plain custard (crème) where some caramel syrup is poured into the mold before adding the custard base. After the custard has set, it can be turned out, leaving a caramel sauce on top. Like all custards, Crème caramel is made with whole eggs, milk or cream, and sugar. The typical flavoring is simply vanilla, however, there are numerous variations, including almond, pistachio, lemon, and many types of fruit.
An imitation of Crème caramel may be prepared from "instant flan powder", which is thickened with agar rather than eggs; "Royal" is a popular brand. In some Latin America countries, the true custard version is known as "milk flan" (flan de leche) or even "milk cheese", and the substitute version is known as just "flan".
[edit] Flan
Under the name flan, the dessert is very popular in Spain and in former Spanish colonies in Latin America and the Philippines. Through Mexican restaurants, this name has become common in the United States, while 'flan' in English elsewhere still refers to a kind of open tart, as in French. Generally, locations that speak British English, or have a connection to France, use the term crème caramel. While those with Spanish, Mexican or American English influence use the term flan.
[edit] Geographical origin and use
Crème caramel may have derived in Southern regions of France and the Northern regions of Spain.[citation needed] Vitoria and Toulouse, one a Spanish city and the other a French, are both famous for Crème caramel.
Crème caramel is ubiquitous in Japanese convenience stores under the name "purin" (Japanese プリン), or "custard pudding". Often, an entire shelf in a Lawson or 7-Eleven is dedicated to over a dozen brands and varieties of flan. In Argentina, Uruguay and some neighbouring countries, Crème caramel is usually eaten with Dulce de leche. Crème caramel is also common in Vietnam, being a former French colony.
[edit] References
- Alan Davidson, The Oxford Companion to Food, 1999. ISBN 0-19-211579-0.
[edit] References
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