Recipe: Flan elote (corn flan)

I tried this dish first in Mexico city - it's a favorite of my brother-in-law.  Since we had lucked upon some delicious corn, I thought I should make some.  It is normally served as a dessert, but it isn't overly sweet, so it could go along with some teacakes, be had as a snack, or even find it's way onto a savory course dish.  It can be picked up, yet it is moist and creamy - if you look closely, you can even see a thin layer of custard at the bottom as the mix settles during cooking.  It has baking powder in it and the mixing process incorporates air into the batter, so for many of you it is a departure from "traditional" flans, but it is well worth a try.  

You will need:

5 - 6                             cobs of corn (I used 6)

300ml (1 10oz can)     sweetened condensed milk

90g / 3oz                     butter (plus more for the pan)

250ml / 1C                  milk

5                                  eggs

15ml / 1Tbs                 baking powder

Method:

 - butter the bottom and sides of a good size pan (9" x 14")

 - set the oven to 325F / 163C

 - put the eggs in a mixer and whip to a  pale foam

 - strip the kernels of corn from the cobs

 - puree the corn with the milk and condensed milk in a blender

 - melt the butter and add to the blender while running 

 - add the baking powder to the running blender

 - drizzle the corn mix into the eggs with the mixer running

 - pour into the pan and place on the middle rack in the oven for about 45 minutes

 - test the middle with a skewer to come out clean

 - turn up the oven to 350F / 177C for another 5 minutes (for colour)

 - remove from oven and cool on a rack

 - if you want to turn it out, let it cool significantly, run a knife around the edge, place your platter over the pan and quickly invert 

 - serve