Preparation:
Heat the oven to 325F. Select a baking dish large enough to hold a second, 2-quart baking dish inside. Fill the larger pan with about 1-inch of water and place it in the oven. (Make sure the larger dish doesn't overflow when the larger dish is set inside.)
In a saucepan with a heavy bottom, combine the ingredients for the caramel topping. Stir the sugar and water together over medium heat until the sugar starts to dissolve. Dip a basting or pastry brush in the additional water and brush any sugar granules down the sides of the pan. (This will prevent the sugar from crystallizing before it caramelizes.) Boil the sugar mixture without stirring until it turns brown (about the color of pancake syrup) and develops a distinct aroma. This will take about 10 to 12 minutes. Do not let the syrup turn black.
Pour the caramelized sugar syrup into the 2-quart flan dish and immediately swirl it around the bottom and sides of the dish to form a transparent coating. Be careful not to touch or splash yourself with the syrup because it is extremely hot and can cause serious burns. Set the caramel topping aside to cool while you prepare the custard.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar and cream cheese. Beat until the cream cheese is fluffy and the sugar has dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. On low speed, beat in the evaporated skim milk, egg substitutes and vanilla extract. Do not allow the mixture to froth. Strain the flan mixture to remove any lumps of cream cheese and pour over the caramelized topping. Set inside the larger dish and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour; or until the custard is set. Cool 30 minutes inside the water then cool an additional hour at room temp. Place in refrigerator and chill completely.
When ready to serve, use a knife to loosen the flan from the sides of the baking dish. Invert the dish over a platter with a lip into a shallow bowl. There will be quite a bit of syrup, so do not invert onto a plate. Serve with fresh fruit if desired |
