Abuelita's Flan (Spanish Egg Custard)

Note from Cheri: I asked one of our readers, Carlotta Castillo Moulder from Burke, Virginia if she would mind sharing her grandmother's traditional flan recipe with us. Luckily, Carlotta graciously agreed. Here is the recipe and history that she gave me. "This recipe was passed to me from my abuelita (little grandmother). Alicia Esteban Castillo was born in Madrid, Spain in 1905. When she was two years old, her mother took her and her brother Jose and fled the country to escape my great grandfather. The story goes that my great grandmother Elisa told her husband she was going on holiday with family to southern Spain. She boarded the southbound train with him watching, but then exited the other side and boarded the northbound train and then fled Spain entirely by taking a ship to New York and later settling in Tampa, Florida. Ironically, Tita did not love flan, however my grandfather, father and her 3 grandchildren did. She actually confided to my mother that she never liked it. This is her recipe. Since you only use egg yolks for it, my mother-in-law suggested that you can save the egg whites and make angel food cake. Flan is really good after it's about 4 or 5 days old as it gives a chance for the flavors to really blend." Note: Carlotta's mother provides an interesting twist to this recipe, she likes to substitute Southern Comfort for the Cream Sherry.

12 large egg yolks 1 qt (4 cups) of milk 1 stick of cinnamon 1 C sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 1/3 to 1/2 C cream sherry

Serves 12 Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour one quart of milk in heavy saucepan with one stick of cinnamon. Heat at medium to medium high and remove from the burner just as a skin forms across the top. While milk is heating, melt and caramelize 1/2 cup of the sugar in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Carefully spoon the VERY HOT sugar into 12 individual custard cups or ramekins. Don't worry about coating the bottom evenly, it will automatically do that while the custard cooks. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolk with the other 1/2 cup of the sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the sherry. SLOWLY (to avoid scrambling the eggs) pour the cooled milk into the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Pour the custard mixture into the 12 custard cups and place the cups into a large roasting pan. Add enough water into the pan until it comes about half way up the cups. Bake for about 40-45 minutes. The custard will appear set when done.