Tita Dollys Flan - eggs

Method

• You will need a round bowl that holds 3-4 quarts (like a mixing bowl or souffle dish; wide is better than deep); a large pan (like a turkey roaster) to be used for the bain-marie (water bath); and a serving dish that can contain the flan plus some syrup.
• CUSTARD.
• Beat eggs and yolks until smooth.
• Add condensed milk, whole milk (use the condensed milk cans to measure out the whole milk), and vanilla.
• Beat until combined.
• Cover, and allow to rest in a cool place until it's smooth and free of bubbles.
• (Not the fridge, it will get too thick.
• ).
• SYRUP.
• In a saucepan, gently stir the sugar, water, and corn syrup until dissolved.
• Stop stirring and bring to a boil over medium to high heat.
• Boil until syrup begins to turn amber color.
• Working quickly (the syrup will continue to cook and darken), pour into flan bowl.
• (Pot holders advisable!)
• Carefully swirl syrup lava around sides and bottom of bowl as evenly as possible.
• Leave it to harden and cool completely.
• It's okay if it cracks.
• FLAN.
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Gently stir custard, then strain it into completely cooled syrup-coated bowl, and cover with foil.
• Put the larger pan in the oven and fill with about 1 inch of hot water.
• Put the flan into the bain-marie and add hot water to about halfway up the flan.
• Cook for 1.5 to 2 hours (could be longer), until custard is just set in the middle.
• Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Just before serving, run knife or metal spatula only around top of flan to release edges.
• Put serving dish on top of flan and carefully flip the whole thing over: flan should release smoothly with syrup.
• COCONUT VARIANT.
• Instead of whole milk, substitute the same quantity of canned coconut milk.
• After you've swirled the syrup in the bowl, before it gets hard, put in about half a cup to a cup of "macapuno" (Filipino coconut sweet, available at an Asian grocery) or other soft coconut shreds, and spread it around the bottom of the bowl.
• Cook for the same time.