Caramello

Sorry, this website is not available in your region. Originally, caramello dish was called tiropatinam and it was made with eggs, milk and pepper and it was seasoned in its savoury version with fish, eel, and spinach, although there was also a sweet version with honey.

In the late 20th century crème caramel was common in European restaurants. The food historian Alan Davidson speculates that this may have been because the dish could be prepared in bulk, in advance. In this context, crème in French means ‘custard’. French names, but flan has come to have different meanings in different regions. In Spanish-speaking countries and often in the United States, crème caramel is known as flan. It is usually cooked in a bain-marie on a stovetop or in the oven in a water bath. The resulting texture is gelatinous and creamy.

Turning out larger dishes requires care, as the custard easily splits. Larger dishes also require more care to avoid undercooking the interior or overcooking the exterior. Thus, crème caramel is often cooked and served in individual ramekins. The objective is to obtain a homogeneous and smooth cream on the surface of the crème caramel with a liquid caramel base.

An imitation of crème caramel may be prepared from “instant flan powder”, which is thickened with agar or carrageenan rather than eggs. In Spain, Flan is a typical Spanish dessert, where most of the variations exist. It is a homemade dessert of which you can also find many variations in grocery stores and it is usually served as a dessert in most restaurants. In Venezuela and Brazil, it is often made with condensed milk, milk, eggs, and sugar caramelized on top.

Also at most equatorial and Caribbean countries the inclusion of coconut, condensed milk and evaporated milk is widespread. The milk base may also be flavored with nuts, fruit, and so on. In Chile, Leche asada or ‘roasted milk’ is similar to Crème caramel because it is made with the same ingredients, but Leche asada has a less smooth texture and is baked directly, which creates a toasted layer on the surface. Modern variations include vanilla and other flavorings. A similar Cuban dish is Copa Lolita, a small caramel flan served with one or two scoops of vanilla ice cream. Other variations include coconut or rum raisin topping. In the Dominican Republic, only egg yolks are used, mixed with vanilla, evaporated milk, and condensed milk.