Good Eats Season 3 Episode 3 The Egg Files II: Man With a Flan

In the third episode of season 3 of Good Eats, host Alton Brown is back with another installment of The Egg Files. This time, he's featuring the man with a plan for flan – and that man is none other than Alton Brown himself.

The episode starts off with Alton breaking down the science behind how eggs work in flan. He explains that the goal of making a flan is to create a custard that has a silky smooth texture, without the "eggy" flavor that can sometimes overpower the dish. To accomplish this, he uses a combination of whole eggs, egg yolks, and evaporated milk.

Next, Alton shares his recipe for the perfect flan crust. He starts by toasting almonds and then combining them with graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter. The mixture is then pressed into the bottom of a pie dish and baked until golden brown and crispy.

With the crust prepared, it's time to move onto the custard. Alton adds sugar to a heated saucepan, stirring constantly until the sugar melts and caramelizes into a rich brown color. He then pours the caramel into the prepared pie dish, tilting it to spread the mixture around evenly.

For the custard itself, Alton combines evaporated milk, condensed milk, and a vanilla bean. He then beats together whole eggs and egg yolks, and slowly adds them to the milk mixture, whisking constantly. Once combined, he pours the mixture over the caramel in the pie dish.

To ensure that the custard cooks evenly and without any air bubbles, Alton bakes the flan in a water bath. He places the pie dish in a larger pan and pours hot water around it, creating a steamy environment that helps the custard set without curdling.

After the flan is finished baking, it's time for the moment of truth – flipping it out of the pie dish and onto a serving plate. Alton demonstrates how to do this seamlessly, running a thin knife around the edges of the dish to loosen the custard before flipping it out onto a plate.

The finished product is a beautifully caramelized flan with a smooth and creamy texture. Alton stresses the importance of letting the flan chill in the refrigerator for several hours before serving, to allow the flavors to mature and the custard to set completely.

In addition to sharing his own flan recipe, Alton also highlights a variety of other egg-based dishes in this episode. These include a recipe for fluffy and flavorful omelets, a trick for boiling eggs without the shells cracking, and a method for poaching eggs without any fuss.

Overall, the Egg Files II: Man With a Flan is a must-watch episode for anyone who loves experimenting with egg-based dishes. Alton Brown's wealth of knowledge and expertise make this a valuable resource for home cooks looking to up their egg-cooking game.