The holidays are such a special time of year. I think it’s because we are more deliberate about spending time with the people we love, which can be hard, especially in today’s busy world. I always look forward to spending time with my family and enjoying special moments that usually only happen once a year. It’s so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the life, that sometimes we forget to slow down and appreciate the small, but important things in life. This is why it’s so important for me to take some time with my family to create new memories and fondly remember old ones. We always make it a point to spend Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) in matching pajamas, while we enjoy hot chocolate and make delicious recipes in preparation for the evening’s festivities.

One of the activities that I always look forward to is making postres (desserts) with my Mami. I have fond memories of us in the kitchen together making her signature dessert, flan. Mami’s flan is so good, it’s the perfect balance of creamy and sweet, it’s always the first thing to go at our holiday fiestas. I always loved taking a spoon to the empty can of condensed milk and savoring all the deliciously sweet remnants in the can. I may or may not still do that today whenever I whip up a flan recipe, but let’s just keep that a secret! Condensed milk is a staple in my mom’s kitchen, and now mine as well.

This flan has a sweet and creamy texture, with the delicate flavor of cafe, which always reminds me of home. Mami would always wake us up on Christmas morning by making a pot of cafe, and the smell would instantly let us know that Santa had officially arrived! Make this flan de cafe recipe for your next holiday get together, and you can look forward to becoming the designated “flan whisperer” in your family! Happy holidays!