It’s Saturday and officially CHRISTMAS!! I’ve just arrived in Miami where it’s 75 degrees, an uncomfortable temperature for me for the occasion. I like it freezing on Christmas Day. I love for it to snow. But, I’m here with all the joy in the world because my  grandfather turns a beautiful and wise 90 today and the family is celebrating through music–his life-long career.

I wrote this post yesterday morning at 10 a.m. while switching back and forth between waiting for the flan to chill, picking up a gift for abuelo, working out and packing. Needless to say, my day escaped me and trying to be the superwoman I’m not, I was unable to publish this post before my 9 pm flight. Nonetheless, I hopped on my flight and went to work, finishing up the pictures…

Here is how my post was supposed to read as I had every intention of having posted it at a reasonable hour on Friday. But, I’m happy to know it’s still Friday somewhere in world. So for those of you still celebrating Christmas Eve, here is today’s #FlanFridays!

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It’s Friday which means another creation for #FlanFridays! Ooh wee, I’ve been waiting to make this one all month and it’s here! Eggnog is my favorite drink of the season, hands down. I can and do drink it by the gallon when it’s store bought. If I make it (which is truthfully not often), I also chug it down like an addict that pretends to get tipsy of the many glasses.

On Wednesday I tweeted that I’d be making an eggnog flavored custard for today’s feature. To my surprise more than a few people chimed in and said they’d jump in on the fun and make one also. I’ve not seen any  of them yet, but it was great to see the ooh and aah response to the creamy and very alcoholic dessert.

Yes alcoholic!

While I was contemplating my approach to making the flan, I  looked at my bar and considered the options I had. I’m not a Bourbon gal (I think I mentioned that here). Admittedly, it is very appropriate for eggnog, but I thought I’d try something different. I took a sniff of my Mt. Gay vintage “Old Reserve” dark rum and called it. It was perfect. At least it smelled lovely and I was overly confident it would work in my custard.

So, here’s the thing, though. I didn’t make the eggnog per say for the flan. I made the drink to actually drink a few days ago and wanted to reserve it for drinking with the flan. So, I improvised for the dessert. I took all the ingredients needed for the drink and figured out the proportions that would make the flan just right. At its core, flan is made of eggs, sugar and milk, therefore adding alcohol and freshly grated nutmeg would make it complete.

And, my friends, complete it was! As I whisked my mix, whiffs of the Mt. Gay seeped up and the freshly grated nutmeg almost caused me to dig my fingers all in the bowl. I resisted.

(caramelizing sugar for ramekins)

I would have loved to make a an entire flan, but since I’m traveling this evening, two ramekins sufficed for my tasting. Surely, food in my place does not go waste and leaving and entire “pie” in my fridge would be sinful (though I’m certain a few friends would have gladly driven here to snatch it up).

(ready to chilled for a few hours)

The flan was just as I expected: creamy in texture and color, perfect in notes of the nutmeg and that whiff of the rum was just right.  Adding staple ingredients of eggnog to the mixture made perfect sense and removed the extra trouble of making the drink itself. I am in fact enjoying that tall glass you see in the picture. Ironically, I was reminded I made this flan for a friend last year and can I tell you, I have no recollection. That makes this one all the better because it’s like tasting something new. Experiencing something delightful and on the eve of Christmas, it couldn’t get any better!

Here’s to you and yours on this occasion! May your Christmas and holiday be filled with all the fabulous, wonderful, beautiful, delicious and sexy things your heart desires!

(Middleburg, VA church; One flan ramekin after I bit into it)

And, bite on this flan! You know you want to! If interested in the recipe, please email me. I’ll be happy to share it with you!

Enjoy this merry #FLANFRIDAYS!