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1
Place sugar and water in small saucepot and cook until liquid turns a slight amber color.
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2
This will be the caramel set on the bottom of the pan that you will bake the flan in.
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3
Pour the caramel carefully into the pan you are baking in (a cake pan or loaf pan will do), and swirl around until the caramel coats the bottom of the pan evenly.
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4
In another pan, combine whole milk and evaporated milk in a medium saucepan.
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5
Split and scrape the vanilla bean and add both seeds and pod into milk mixture.
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6
Add cinnamon, star anise, cardamom pods and lime peel and bring to a simmer slowly.
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7
Simmer gently for about 5 minutes to allow ingredients to steep into the mixture.
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8
Remove from heat, strain and let cool.
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9
Preheat oven to 350F.
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10
Place egg yolks and whole eggs in a large mixing bowl.
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11
Whisk the eggs and slowly add in the sweetened condensed milk.
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12
Then add the cooled, steeped milk mixture.
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13
Ready a baking pan large enough to fit the pan that you will bake the flan in.
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14
This pan will serve as a water bath.
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15
Place the larger pan in the middle of the oven.
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16
Pour the flan mixture in the smaller pan that should have the now cooled and hardened caramel.
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17
Place flan mixture in the larger pan in the oven and pour water around until the water comes about halfway up the pan.
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18
Bake until just set, about 1 hour or so.
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19
When done, the flan should have the consistency of jello; when jiggling the pan, the flan should still move but slow to a solid state.
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20
If the flan appears liquidy, it needs more time in the oven.
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21
Once done, remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
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22
Still in the pan, chill in the refrigerator for at least 3-4 hours or overnight.
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23
When ready to serve, unmold onto cutting board and cut into squares with a knife dipped into hot water.
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24
Go back and forth between cutting, wiping the knife, and dipping back into the hot water until all the flan has been cut into squares.
