Benjamina Ebuehi’s recipe for Mexican-style vanilla bean flan | The sweet spot
I started the year in one of my favourite places: Mexico City,I’ve since become one of those annoying people who finds a way to bring it up in nearly every conversation, so please indulge me just this once! Each time I’ve been to Mexico, I develop a new fixation, and this year I ate a considerable amount of flan,It’s seen as a bit of a retro dish here in the UK, and perhaps a little divisive, but I love it,Mexican-style flan is typically made with condensed milk, giving it a gorgeous, silky, creamy texture,I’ve also added plenty of vanilla – brought back from my trip, of course.
Prep 5 min Steep 15 minCook 1 hr 10 min, plus cooling Chill Overnight Serves 81 vanilla pod 400ml whole milk 130g caster sugar 2 large eggs, plus 3 egg yolks397g tin condensed milk ¼ tsp fine sea saltSplit open the vanilla pod and scrape the seeds into a saucepan.Add the empty pod, too, then pour in the milk and heat gently until warmed through.Take off the heat and leave to steep for 15-30 minutes.Heat the oven to 170C (150C fan)/340F/gas 3½.Put the sugar in a heavy-bottomed pan and heat gently, swirling the pan every so often, until it melts.
Once the sugar turns a deep caramel colour, take it off the heat and very carefully pour it into a 20cm cake tin (not a loose-bottomed or springform one, otherwise it may leak).Swirl the caramel around the tin so it covers the base, then leave to cool until hard to the touch.Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and egg yolks in a bowl until combined – try not to incorporate too much air – then stir in the condensed milk and salt.Strain the vanilla milk into the egg bowl, mix to combine, then pour the custard through a sieve and on to the cooled caramel in the tin – don’t worry if you hear cracking sounds.Cover the top with tinfoil, then put the tin inside a larger roasting tray or cake tin.
Fill the larger tin with enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the flan tin, then bake for 50-55 minutes, until the edges of the flan are set but it has a good wobble in the middle.Lift the flan tin out of its water bath, leave to cool to room temperature, then chill overnight.The next day, run a palette knife all around the edges of the flan to release it from the tin, then flip it upside down on to a serving plate.Spoon any caramel left in the tin on top and serve.
‘Hold the line’: Burnham tells allies in parliament he still has options to return
Andy Burnham has told Labour MPs they should hold the line and that he has options to return to parliament after several seats identified by his allies failed to materialise.Two seats that backers of the Greater Manchester mayor had described as “nailed on” as recently as Monday night are now out of contention after the MPs concerned got cold feet.Burnham spoke to a number of MPs by phone on Tuesday and assured them that he still intended to seek an imminent return to parliament.The Guardian was told by two MPs on Wednesday that Jeff Smith, who represents Manchester Withington, an affluent suburb of the city, was in talks about stepping aside for Burnham, but his friends denied it. Asked whether he was about to make way, Smith told the Press Association he was not
‘It’s more incrementalism’: Starmer’s safe king’s speech fails to quell mutiny
For Keir Starmer’s Labour critics, his second king’s speech, in which the government set out what it would do in parliament over the next 12 to 18 months, was a crystallisation of everything that was wrong with the prime minister’s strategy.Over 34 bills and three draft ones, Starmer set out a programme he said would “make this country stronger and fairer”. But the package, which included limiting trial by jury, reshaping the NHS and moving the country closer to the EU, fell short of what some in the prime minister’s party feel is needed to win back voters’ trust.“Most of this is incrementalism,” said one Labour MP. “This sums up where we have gone wrong in the first two years in government
Starmer has ‘full confidence’ in Streeting despite health secretary’s allies saying he is planning to resign – as it happened
Downing Street has now confirmed that Wes Streeting is still health secretary. The PM’s spokesperson told reporters the prime minister has “full confidence” in the health secretary.Allies of Wes Streeting have said he is preparing to stand down as health secretary amid deep frustration with Keir Starmer’s leadership, and could mount a formal challenge for the leadership as early as Thursday.Keir Starmer has put long-promised changes to education, health and the courts at the heart of his agenda for the next year, as the embattled prime minister looks to prove he can enact the scale of change being demanded by Labour MPs and voters. There were 37 bills in the speech
Labour politicians should put the country before their party | Letters
As an active and loyal Labour member, I am infuriated by what is happening within the party (Burnham allies warn against quick ‘coronation’ of Streeting if Starmer quits, 12 May). The ongoing circus about the leadership is a terrible distraction from the numerous global and national issues that the government and the prime minister should be focused on. But the most infuriating aspect of the entire shambles is the relentless speculation and briefings from so-called “allies” of Andy Burham.No Labour member has an innate right to be selected as a parliamentary candidate. The assertion that a sitting Labour MP should give up the seat voters elected them to, necessitating a byelection so that Burnham can run, then assuming that he would automatically retain the seat, is arrogance beyond belief
Labour lost the vote of small business owners like me | Letter
Your report (Reform wins across northern England overturn decades of Labour control, 8 May) touched on Labour losing support among small business owners. I wanted to offer the perspective of a small independent business owner who has traditionally supported Labour.Labour’s poor local election results may reflect a growing frustration among small business owners who no longer feel recognised as “working people”. In hospitality, hair and beauty, retail and trades, there are thousands upon thousands of us keeping local economies alive while taking home increasingly modest incomes ourselves.Last year, our small independent restaurant in Margate turned over roughly £350,000
King’s speech might be the last word on Starmer as reluctant monarch does his duty | John Crace
The king looked fed up. His attempts to throw a sickie had come to nothing. Did the government really want to go ahead with the state opening? Apparently it did. Would it be OK if he phoned it in? He fancied a day working from palace. It wouldn’t be OK
Milka maker milked shoppers over size of chocolate bars, German court rules
Global oil inventories falling at record pace amid Iran war; US producer price inflation hits four-year high – as it happened
Nissan ponders building cars for Chinese rivals at Sunderland plant
Lab testing group Intertek to back £10.6bn takeover by Swedish firm EQT
UK housebuilder Vistry warns of ‘significantly’ lower profits amid Iran war uncertainty
How new owner became all powerful in ‘high stakes’ attempt to revive former WH Smith chain