Mexican flan (crème caramel)

Mexico's favourite pudding: a silky baked custard made with condensed and evaporated milk, turned out under a pool of dark caramel. Make it the day before and it's ready when you are.

Ingredients

• 150 g Caster sugar
• 5 Eggs
• 397 g Condensed milk
• 410 g Evaporated milk
• 5 ml Vanilla extract

Method

1. Heat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan) and put the kettle on. Have a 20cm round cake tin (not loose-bottomed) or ovenproof dish ready, sitting in a deep roasting tin.
2. Put the sugar and 3 tablespoons of water in a heavy pan over a medium heat. Let it dissolve, then bubble without stirring, just swirling the pan, until it turns a deep amber. Pour straight into the tin and tilt to coat the base. Careful: it's very hot.
3. Whisk the eggs gently, then whisk in the condensed milk, evaporated milk and vanilla until smooth without making it frothy. Strain through a sieve onto the caramel.
4. Pour boiling water into the roasting tin to come halfway up the flan tin. Bake until set at the edges with just a slight wobble in the middle.
5. Lift out of the water, cool, then cover and chill for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
6. Run a knife round the edge, put a plate with a rim on top and flip it over in one confident movement. The caramel will run down as a sauce.