The Quesillo recipe pronounced “ke see yo” has bounced around our family since as long as I can remember. Every recipe each with it’s own quirks. These days I frequently get calls asking about my exact recipe. It’s not everyday your grandmother asks you how to cook something! I will however warn you: Quesillo is not for everyone. I have learned that some people aren’t accustomed to the texture and just don’t like it. To that I can only really say that at least there will be more for the rest of us.
Quesillo (Venezuelan Flan)
Ingredients
- 1 can of condensed milk
- 1 can of milk use same can to measure
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- 1 cup of white sugar
Instructions
- For this recipe you will need a round tin with a tight lid also called a "flan mold". If you're in a pinch I've used a cookie tin with success.
- Preheat oven to 350°. The Quesillo will be cooked using a "bain-marie" or water bath method. You should already have the container with the water in the oven as it preheats. I usually use a 9 inch cake pan or a glass pyrex.
- Melt sugar in a nonstick pan. No water is needed to make the caramel. Keep moving the mixture so all the sugar melts evenly. Be careful because it can go from a nice brown color to burnt black very quickly.
- Pour the sugar into a flan container. Make sure to coat the sides of the container to ensure that the egg/milk mixture does not come in contact with the container itself (see pic above).
- Blend together the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. Fold the mixture with a spatula or tap against the counter to remove some of the bubbles created by blending.
- Make sure the caramel has cooled a bit (you don’t want to fry the eggs) and pour the mixture into the flan container.
- Put the lid on and place inside your water bath. Bake for 45 minutes. Don't let the water go over the rim of the tin.
- Uncover and cook for another 15 minutes. This is tricky to do without burning a finger. I generally use a knife to pry open the lid first, making it easier to remove without injury.
Notes
Ideally let the Quesillo cool to room temperature then place in the fridge over night. This will limit the chances of it cracking when you flip it out of the tin. Make sure to slide a knife around the edges to ensure its fully loose before placing a plate on top and flipping.
