Flan Almendra

½ cup sugar

1 2/3 cups sweetened condensed milk

1 cup milk

3 eggs

3 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup slivered almonds

Sprinkle sugar in a 9-inch round cakepan; place over medium heat. Using oven mitts, caramelize sugar by shaking pan occasionally until sugar melts and turns a light golden brown; cool. (Mixture may crack slightly as it cools.)

Combine next 6 ingredients in container of an electric blender; process at high speed 15 seconds. Pour over caramelized sugar; cover pan with aluminum foil, and place in a large shallow pan. Pour hot water to depth of 1 inch into larger pan. Bake at 350 for 55 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean.

Remove pan from water and uncover; let cool on wire rack at least 30 minutes. Loosen edges with a spatula. Invert flan onto plate. Yield: 6 servings.

Individual Flans Almendra:

Place 1 cup sugar in a heavy saucepan; place over medium heat. Using oven mitts, caramelize sugar by shaking pan occasionally until sugar melts and turns a light golden brown. Remove from heat. Pour hot caramel mixture into 6 (10-oz.) custard cups. Let cool. Pour flan mixture evenly into custard cups, making sure ground almond mixture is evenly divided; cover with aluminum foil. Place custard cups in a broiler pan; pour hot water to depth of 1 inch into pan. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Remove cups from water, and cool. To serve, loosen edge of custard with a spatula; invert onto plates.

Note: A little stirring may be necessary when caramelizing the sugar if a gas burner is used.