CREME CARAMEL! ( Dulce de Leche)

Hello Everyone, now who has not had a home made Creme Caramel? some people call it custard others call it FLAN. This recipe is especially a good one because it calls for YES, HERE IT GOES BOOZE! now people don't get excited it just has enough for people to say Hmmmm WHAT IS THAT? but obviously you wont tell them you will say I ADDED A PERSONAL TOUCH, or how i like to say jokingly with everything i make I MADE IT WITH LOTS OF LOVE!

1(14-ounce can fat free sweetened condensed milk.
1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of water
cooking spray
2 cups skim milk or 2% reduced-fat milk
3 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon brandy or rum ( optional and i prefer brandy).
1/4 cup toasted coconut for topping ( optional)

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2) Pour condensed milk into a 1 quart baking dish, cover and place in bottom of broiler pan. Add water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 425 for 45 minutes or until milk is thick and caramel colored. Remove dish from pan; uncover and cool to room temperature.
3) Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
4) Combine sugar and 1/4 cup of water in a small, heavy saucepan, and cook over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Continue cooking 5 minutes or until golden, stirring constantly. Immediately pour into a 9-inch round cake pan coated with cooking spray, tipping quickly until caramelized sugar coats bottom of pan.
5) Spoon condensed milk into a large bowl. Add the milk, eggs, egg whites, vanilla extract( use good vanilla makes a whole lot of difference) the Brandy if you decide to use it; stir with whisk until well blended. Strain the milk mixture through a fine sieve into prepared pan, and discard solids.
6) Place cake pan in bottom of broiler pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 325 for 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool the custard to room temperature in water bath ( this will make sure the custard does not crack). Remove cake pan from water bath, and cover and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight. Loosen edges of custard with a knife or rubber spatula. Place a plate upside down, on top of cake, invert custard onto plate. Drizzle any remaining caramelized syrup over custard. Decorate with toasted coconut ( if you like) Serves 8.

Note: I know is not a fast recipe but is well worth it, make it on the weekend. ENJOY!