Learning to Cook

I have always been surrounded by wonderful cooks and bakers. While this has been delightful for my taste buds, I always wondered if I would ever be able to cook like them. When I lived in Brazil, I was forced to learn how to cook because the ingredients at my disposal were so different. The experience was, at first, frustrating. But, once I began to experiment, the world of cooking opened up to me. My recipe box is now brimming, and I thought others might be interested in trying some of the recipes I have found. I haven’t tried them all yet, but I plan to in the future! I hope you enjoy, and please feel free to add your own suggestions/comments.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Pudim de Leite (Brazilian Flan)

1 cup sugar (for the caramel)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
Equal volume of regular milk (use the can to measure)
3 eggs
1 8-inch ring mold

Place 1 to 2 inches of water in a roasting pan. Place the pan in the oven and preheat to 325°.

Put the sugar in the ring mold. Place the mold directly over medium heat. Keep turning the mold until the sugar melts into a golden brown caramel and spoon it up the sides of the mold. Be careful not to burn the sugar and yourself. I use an oven mitt to hold the mold in my left hand and a large spoon for the sugar in my right hand. This way I can keep turning the mold and spooning the sugar. Let the mold cool.

Combine the condensed milk, regular milk and eggs in a blender. Whip (I like to use the frappe button in my blender) until smooth. Pour this mixture into the mold and place it in the center of the roasting pan with water. Bake the pudim for about 1 hour. It will turn golden brown on top and start separating from the sides of the mold. Let it cool to room temperature and place in refrigerator, preferably overnight (at least 6 hours).

Just before serving, run the tip of a knife around the inside of the mold. Place a deep platter over the mold and invert: the pudim should slide out easily. If not, give the mold a firm but careful shake. Spoon the caramel sauce on top and serve. Serves about 10. Totally yummy!

From: http://www.maria-brazil.org/pudim.htm

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