Flan

1. For the caramel, put 100g sugar in a dry frying pan with no fat and melt it over medium heat, swirling the pan rather than stirring, until it is amber and fully liquid. Pour it quickly into the base of four flan moulds (roughly 120ml each); it sets hard almost at once.
2. Heat the oven to 150°C and find a casserole or deep dish that holds all four moulds.
3. Warm the milk with 45g sugar and the split, scraped vanilla pod until hot but short of boiling, then lift out the pod after a few minutes. Meanwhile stir the egg yolks and whole eggs together gently, keeping air out. Pour the milk into the eggs, stirring very lightly, then divide between the prepared moulds and set them in the casserole. Pour boiling water into the casserole, taking care not to splash the custard, then bake on the middle shelf for about 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
4. Let them cool in the dish for an hour, then chill overnight. The next day, ease the rim free, invert onto a plate and serve with dulce de leche alongside.

Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen

• Keep your eyes on the caramel and swirl the pan instead of stirring it. Sugar turns from amber to burnt in a matter of seconds.
• Combine the eggs and milk with a gentle hand rather than whisking, since beaten-in air shows up as bubbles in the finished custard.
• A low oven and a water bath give you the smoothest, crack-free set, so resist turning up the heat to hurry it along.
• Leave it to chill overnight before you turn it out. A fully set custard releases cleanly and holds its shape.