Quesillo, also known as Venezuelan Creole Flan, is a delightful dessert that captures the essence of Venezuelan culinary traditions. This velvety flan is celebrated for its smooth, creamy texture and the rich, caramelized layer that crowns it. The preparation begins with the enthralling process of creating a golden-brown caramel that coats the flan mold, ensuring every bite is infused with its sweet, slightly bitter allure.
The heart of the quesillo lies in the silky mixture of sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, eggs, and a hint of vanilla extract. This blend, whipped to perfection in a blender, offers a lush base that harmonizes beautifully with the caramel. Poured delicately over the set caramel, the mixture undergoes a transformative baking process in a water bath, which is critical for achieving the dessert’s signature texture.
Baking at 350°F (175°C) for about an hour allows the flan to set just right, resulting in a dessert that is firm yet incredibly creamy. An essential step is allowing the quesillo to cool in the water bath before a substantial chill in the refrigerator, preferably overnight, to ensure the flavors meld and the texture solidifies properly.
Serving Quesillo is an art in itself. Once cool, a knife run around the edges releases this flan from its mold, revealing the glossy caramel that cascades down its sides. Each spoonful promises an indulgent journey through layers of caramel sweetness and creamy custard.
Interesting to note, Venezuelan Quesillo often contains more egg yolks than other flan recipes, which contributes to its richer flavor and distinctive texture. This dessert not only exemplifies Venezuelan ingenuity but also reminds us of the universal joy found in homemade treats.
Ingredients
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 can evaporated milk
5 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup water
Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and water. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and turns a golden brown caramel color.
3. Pour the caramel into the bottom of a flan mold or a round baking dish, tilting to coat the bottom evenly. Set aside to cool and harden.
4. In a blender, combine the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth.
5. Pour the milk mixture over the hardened caramel in the flan mold.
6. Cover the mold tightly with aluminum foil.
7. Place the mold in a larger baking dish and fill the larger dish with hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the flan mold (water bath).
8. Carefully place in the preheated oven and bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Remove the flan from the oven and let it cool in the water bath.
10. Once cooled, refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
11. To serve, run a knife around the edges of the mold to loosen the flan. Invert it onto a serving plate, letting the caramel sauce drizzle over the top.