My father in law often says that the best thing coming out of Mexico is Mexican Flan. After a stern dirty look from me, he clears his throat and adds: "that is, after Lily of course". We joke a lot about it, but deep down, I know it is true: flan is the best Mexican dessert ever! It's quick, pretty and absolutely scrumptious. It can be made in a matter of minutes (truly, I'm not joking), can be served hot or cold and it can be made in advance or right in front of your guests. I made this one for the IFBA Mexican Supper Club Evening and it got a resounding thumbs up from everybody.

There are loads of recipes for this Flan, some people bake it, others cook it in the oven on a bain marie, I do it the lazy way: in the microwave. Mam showed me how to do it the traditional way and then she showed me the lazy way, over time I have found that the microwave does a good job and makes the recipe, prep time and all, under 15 minutes! Traditionally, this flan is made vanilla flavoured, but I have experimented with different ways of flavouring it with stunning results. I am giving you the basic recipe and will suggest a few flavouring tips at the end.

A note of caution on this recipe, the main thing is to make sure that whatever mould you use is the right size for your microwave. The first time I made it I use a lovely big flan glass mould and got it all ready just to find out my mould wouldn't fit in the microwave! 

This is the first time I've ever told anyone other than my close family this story, risking losing my legend status as THE master drinker of pina coladas, but then, it is a story worth telling, so hear me out. A little over ten years ago, only a few weeks after moving to Ireland, I got invited to a hen party. As most Mexicans, I don't drink much (yes, that's another urban legend demystified people: we don't have tequila shots for breakfast); so there I was, with all these Irish women I barely knew, at a night club and I did what I had done most of my life: I went up to the bar and ordered a 'virgin' pina colada (i.e. without the rum); the barman gave me a funny look, but made the cocktail for me with all the other trimmings, including the paper umbrella. When I got back to the table (I hadn't learned the whole concept of a round yet), everybody asked me what it was and the next thing, the whole bunch of ladies ordered the same cocktail.

After a few hours of 'drinking' so much rum, the group was pretty drunk, some had gone vertical; I however, with all my cocktail drinking, was still standing and did not even get a hangover the following day. By morning, I was a legend. No one could understand how I did it; there were comments about the size of Mexican livers, and the effects tequila shots in Mexican baby bottles had on the alcohol tolerance of Mexicans. I was too embarrassed to say anything and since I thought I would never really see those women again, I never clarified anything. A couple of weeks later, at the wedding, one of the women approached our table and nearly chocked laughing when my mother in law told her I did not drink much. The face of her, she probably thought I was a big fat liar and was putting a show for the in laws!

The truth is I don't really like the taste of alcohol on its own; I find it either too bitter or too sour; but, I love sweet stuff, so if you put a Baileys or a glass of Japanese plum wine in front of me, I'll merrily drink it. My all time favourite is of course the Frozen Strawberry Margaritas. I chose to make some of these for my fellow bloggers at the IFBA Mexican Supper Club Evening and believe you me, they were delicious. Enjoy the recipe!