Spanish Flan

Flan from a mix or homemade? Homemade is awesome. I made this on a whim one time while Stacy was working. I figured she might like a favorite treat and this seemed like a nice surprise. I'm not a flan fan, but this is fantastic. --Mark

Ingredients:

1 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
1 T vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt sugar until liquefied and golden in color. Carefully pour hot syrup into a 9 inch round glass baking dish, turning the dish to evenly coat the bottom and sides. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat eggs. Beat in condensed milk, evaporated milk and vanilla until smooth. Pour egg mixture into baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake in preheated oven 60 minutes. Let cool completely.

To serve, carefully invert on serving plate with edges when completely cool.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Spanish-Flan/Detail.aspx

Homemade Cornstarch Pudding

This is one of my childhood comfort foods. My mom used to make me "papinhas" and I loved it. Still do. Easy to make with stuff on hand. I like to sprinkle cinnamon on it. Mmmm. --Stacy

Ingredients:

2T cornstarch
water
1-2 cups milk
sugar

Instructions:

Dilute cornstarch in water. Add this to the milk in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring. Once thickened, add sugar. Enjoy!

Notes:

Sprinkle with cinnamon! Eat with a small spoon. Start at the edge and spiral inward (inside is always hottest).

Malassadas

Every country has its own version of a fried dough recipe. This is the Azores' version. I grew up eating these at Holy Ghost feasts in New England and at Christmastime and at other times, too. My mom claims this recipe works. -- Stacy

Ingredients:

1 Box Hot Roll Mix
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 stick of butter
1 cup lukewarm water
3 cups oil in wide pot
1 cup granulated sugar

Instructions:

Mix the lukewarm water with the yeast package in the hot roll mix. Combine all ingredients well. Let it rise to double. With milk, wet hands. Spread out small amounts of dough and fry in HOT oil. Place hot malassadas in paper bag with sugar in it. Shake. Enjoy.

Notes:

These are messy to eat, but they are oh so good. I'll have to try this recipe that uses a hot roll mix. I'm intrigued.

Portuguese Pudim de Leite

This is a traditional Portuguese dessert, often served in Brazil. I made this for my Portuguese 201 class in college. It was delicious and a total keeper. -- Stacy

Ingredients:

6 eggs
1 can sweetened, condensed milk
Milk (same can's worth)
1/2 cup - 1 cup sugar

Instructions:

Beat eggs, condensed milk, and milk. Melt sugar until it becomes "caramel." Spread it around the bottom of a round glass pyrex dish (it will harden). Pour mixture over melted sugar. Place in oven at 350° F. Bake 1 hour or until it looks ready. WATCH it! Cook, don't burn!

Notes:

It's kind of like a flan. Delicious!

Biscoitos Artemisia

These are our traditional holiday cookies. We make them every year, we make a lot of them, and we eat them daily for breakfast. These cookies alone account for my usual winter 5-pound gain. They're simple and delicious and it's so hard, if not nearly impossible, to eat just one. -- Stacy

Ingredients:

9 cups flour
2 cups sugar
8 eggs, slightly beaten
1 lb. butter, melted
2 T baking powder in 4 T milk

Instructions:

Combine first 2 ingredients. Add all the rest of the ingredients. Shape by grabbing a bit of dough, rolling it into a "snake," and forming a donut-shaped cookie. We also like to shape them into letters and dots. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 350° F for about 9-10 minutes. My Dad always liked them cooked longer and crispier. I prefer them cooked for less time and softer. Bake as you wish.

Notes:

This recipe is from my Tia Artemisia (she's my mother's sister). Once you bake these, keep them in a covered container to keep them fresh.

Arroz Doce (Sweet Rice)

This is one of my all-time favorite, sweet comfort foods. It is a traditional Portuguese dessert. This is my mom's recipe and I really love it. -- Stacy

Ingredients:

1 cup rice
1 cup water
1 cup milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
3 egg yolks, beaten
lemon rind (optional)
cinnamon

Instructions:

Combine first 4 ingredients and cook over low heat. DO NOT MIX. If needed (if it dries before rice is cooked), keep adding bits of milk until rice is tender. Add sugar and cook STIRRING for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and VERY quickly stir in eggs. Spread on plate and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Notes:

We don't do the egg bit. The eggs are only for "color" and we're fine without it.

Queijadas de Cóco (Portuguese Custards with Coconut)

These are a variation on regular queijadas. I love queijadas, but I probably love queijadas de cóco even more. These are a coconut variation of the original recipe. --Stacy

Ingredients:

4 eggs beaten
1 ¾ cups sugar
2 cups milk
6 T butter, melted
¾ cups flour
1 T vanilla
2 cups flaked coconut

Instructions:

Beat eggs with melted butter. Add vanilla, sugar, and flour. Once it is well blended add the coconut. Bake in greased muffin tins at 350 ˚F for 30 to 40 minutes.

Notes:

These are a great treat to take to parties. They are custard like and very delicious. To see the original recipe, click here.

Queijadas (Portuguese Custards)

This is a dessert of my childhood. It is a popular one in my Portuguese-Azorean culture. These custard-like desserts are easy to make and very delicious. --Stacy

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1 bar melted butter
1 cup sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 ¾ cups warm milk

Instructions:

Beat 2 eggs with 1 bar melted butter. Add sugar and flour and mix. Add milk slowly and beat with a wire whisk. Spray muffin tins and pour batter into the pan. Place in the oven at 350 ˚F for 20-25 minutes.

Notes:

These Portuguese sweet treats are great to take to a party. We tend to use a little less sugar since we aren’t huge sweets fans. Let the butter cool slightly before adding the eggs or you’ll end up cooking the eggs. To see the coconut variation on this recipe, click here.