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1
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
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2
Melt the sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until it turns into a smooth dark amber caramel.
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3
Pour into the bottom of an 8-inch souffle dish or other round mold.
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4
Using the back of a knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add to a blender.
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5
Add the three milks, eggs, cream cheese and almond extract.
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6
Blend until smooth, then pour through a strainer into the caramel-lined mold.
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7
Set the mold into a larger baking pan and pour enough very hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the mold.
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8
Bake until the flan has set, 2 1/2-3 hours-- a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
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9
Let cool, then cover the mold and refrigerate overnight.
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10
When you are ready to serve, run a knife along the inside of the mold to loosen the flan.
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11
Pour about 1/2 inch of hot water in a pan large enough to hold the mold and set the mold in it for 10 minutes, so it will unmold more easily.
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12
Remove it from the water, wipe dry and place a shallow bowl or a small platter over the top.
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13
Invert the flan into the bowl, and serve.
