SPANISH FLAN SQUARES

Bake for the full 45 minutes to get a golden top and slightly firmer texture

SPANISH FLAN SQUARES

My husband loves this recipe. He requested it again for Father’s Day Week along with my Chocolate Cream Pie, which he also likes very much. Flan is a big thing in South and Central America. It is probably one of the most famous desserts of all besides Tres Leches. This is my unique spin on flan. I have several recipes that I use, however. I'll share another sometime.

For Flan lovers - if you like a firm custard. I can see myself making this for years to come (and I've made a lot of desserts in the past). This is a truly amazing, super-addictive dessert! It is between a custard and cheesecake, however, it is still most definitely a custard. I used my low-carb condensed milk in it and some cream cheese and gelatin to get this fabulous texture.

Graham Cracker-like Crust:

¹/₂cup ground almonds - I use a coffee bean grinder (125 mL)
(you can use almond flour, but it is so much nicer with the ground

almonds)

¹/₂cup Gluten-Free Bake Mix 2, OR almond flour (125 mL)

2 tbsp powdered sweetener (30 mL)
¹/₄tsp salt (1 mL)

¹/₄cup butter, melted (60 mL)

Liquid sweetener to equal 2 tsp sugar (10 mL)

¹/₂tsp vanilla extract (2 mL)

Custard Filling:

4 oz regular cream cheese (125 g)

3 eggs

1 tbsp cold water (15 mL)

1 tbsp unflavored gelatin (15 mL)

¹/₃cup boiling water (75 mL)

2 tbsp unsalted butter (30 mL)

2 tbsp regular butter (30 mL)

1 cup whole milk powder, OR see alternatives below* (250 mL)

1 cup whipping cream, OR other cream (250 mL)
(actually prefer 1/2 cream/1/2 water)

Liquid sweetener to equal1 cup sugar (250 mL)

¹/₂cup water (125 mL)

¹/₄cup powdered erythritol (60 mL)

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

Crust: In medium bowl, combine ground almonds, Gluten-Free Bake Mix, powdered sweetener and salt; stir to mix. In small bowl, combine melted butter, liquid sweetener and vanilla extract. Stir into crust ingredients to combine well. Turn out into a square 8-inch (20 cm) glass baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and press the crust out to fill the bottom of the dish. Bake 12 minutes.

Custard Filling: In food processor or mixer, process cream cheese. Add eggs; process. In small bowl combine 1 tbsp (15 mL) cold water and gelatin. Stir in boiling water. Add to food processor or mixer along with unsalted and salted butters; process. Add whole, OR skim milk powder, whipping cream, liquid sweetener, ¹/₂cup (125 mL) water and erythritol. Process very well, scraping the sides as well. Pour slowly and carefully over the prepared crust. Bake about 35 to 45 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the center is slightly soft. Full 45 minutes makes it golden brown like the bottom photo...it was lovely!

Helpful Hints: *Coconut milk powder and heavy cream powder is now available on Amazon and could possibly be used in this recipe. The coconut milk powder may have a slight coconut taste. One time I baked this exactly 45 minutes and the top was completely golden brown. It was still absolutely delicious and perhaps firmer than it would have been had I baked it a bit less.

I find my whole milk powder at PriceSmart - it is the equivalent of Costco, so I am sure Costco will have it. Also, apparently, the Mexican section of the grocery stores in the States?

Yield: 16 squares

1 generous square

208.4 calories

5.9 g protein

18.5 g fat

0.3 g fiber

4.9 g net carbs