Vanilla Flan
Growing up I was a huge fan of The Cosby Show. It was on at 9:30pm, long after my bedtime, but sometimes I could convince my parents to let me stay up and watch it. I loved Claire and Cliff Huxtable, their perfect Brooklyn Heights townhouse and their large family. No matter what trouble they got into it was always resolved after 30 minutes. Ah, the joys of living in a sit-com!
My love for the Cosby Show translated into a minor Jello obsession thanks to Bill Cosby's presence in all the Jello commercials at the time. I have many memories of Jello molds at Thanksgiving and Jello Pudding Snacks for dessert. I wish someone had told me as a child where gelatin came from! I was a competitive horse back rider all throughout my childhood and teens. I had deep and meaningful relationships with my horses, they were really my best friends. As soon as I learned how gelatin was made you can bet I quit my Jello habit fast! Gross! I no longer go anywhere near Jello or any other packaged, processed "food" for that matter.
Agar is a type of sea vegetable (found in the Asian food section of most markets) that when heated acts like gelatin in recipes. Agar is incredibly fun to use as you can make delicious, molded, flavored dessert by boiling it with almond milk (or coconut milk), extract and spices. This Vanilla Custard is a delicious light dessert that can be made ahead of time and stored in your fridge for a day or two. It would be the perfect final sweet bite for a summer dinner party!
Vanilla Flan
- 2 cups almond milk ( I prefer OMilk or homemade)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 T agar
- 1/4 tsp liquid stevia
- cinnamon
- a few blueberries ( or any berry of your choosing)
- Combine all ingredients in a medium pot and bring to a boil
- Reduce heat slightly and cook for 10 minutes until agar is completely dissolved
- Pour into individual ramekins or silicone baking cups and allow to cool and set in fridge
- Top with cinnamon and blueberries before serving
I made mine in silicone baking cups instead of ramekins so that the flan could be removed before serving. Serving in a ramekin is just as good of an option!
