Dairy-free Leche Flan (Filipino style)

Well the holidays are coming and I started craving Leche Flan. Leche flan is a Filipino custard-type desert.  I grew up eating it, made by my parents using the traditional way. Loaded with milk and eggs.  My daughter and I are allergic to dairy and I had to find a way to make it safe for us.

Warning: Recipe contains a lot of sugar!   We don't eat this everyday so to me it's okay.

Ingredients:

For the caramel syrup:

1 cups organic sugar

For the flan:

3 beaten eggs

4 large egg yolks

3/4 cup organic sugar

2 1/2 cup rice or hemp milk(probably almond milk will work too)

1/2 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla

You will need some sort of a mold or ramekins. I used medium sized ramekins, Corning ware.  You will also need a metal roasting pan, aluminum will do.

In a heavy pan, heat 1 cup of sugar until it melts on medium heat. Swirl it around to make sure there are no lumps.  Do not burn the syrup!  After it's done, divide it between the ramekins. For my recipe I had 5 ramekins.

Now on to the flan.  In a sauce pan, pour the non-dairy "milk" and the vanilla.  Don't boil it but just let it simmer on low. 

In  a bowl mix the eggs and sugar using a handheld mixer. I mixed mine on medium setting until it's fully mixed.  Then slowly add the non-dairy milk/vanilla mixture.  Mix it again with your mixer. Pour it in the ramekins. Fill the roasting pan with water and place the ramekins inside. You want to make sure the water comes up at least halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cook it on 355 degrees for 45 minutes or until done.  You want it a little jiggly and a bit firm. 

Once it's done, take them out. To get the flan out, you want to use a sharp nice and run it inside the edge of the ramekin.  Then get a plate, place it on top of the ramekin, shake it a little and the flan should slide right out.

I hope you enjoy it! Everyone that have tasted this said it tastes just like the Filipino Leche flan.