1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Melt 1/2 cup of sugar in a heavy skillet over low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts and turns a light caramel color. Immediately pour a spoonful of the hot syrup into the bottom of each of 4 custard cups, stirring gently. Cool slightly.

3. In a large saucepan, bring the milk to simmering point, then add the remaining sugar. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove milk from heat and add the vanilla bean. Cool about 8 to 10 minutes.

4. In a deep bowl, beat the eggs lightly with salt. Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly. Using a fine sieve, strain the custard mixture into the prepared cups. Place the cups in a rectangular baking pan and fill the pan almost to the top with tepid water. Place pan in preheated oven & bake 35 to 40 min or until custard test done, when a table knife is inserted diagonally and comes out clean. Immediately remove pan from oven and cups of custard from water. Refrigerate 3 hours before serving.

5. Beat cream with the confectioners' sugar until stiff and mix in the vanilla extract. When ready to serve, invert custard cups on four serving plates and shake very gently. Remove cups and garnish the flan with the slightly sweetened whipped cream, if desired.

El Bodegon

R Street N.W., Washington, D.C.

Bev:Cuarenta Y Tres (43) Liqueur

From the <Micro Cookbook Collection of Mexican Recipes>. Downloaded from Glen's Mm Recipe Archive, http://www. Erols. Com/hosey.