I am not 100% sure of whether Assyrians make and eat this dessert, but I found it on a website of Syrian Christian recipes. While I know these two communities are different, I'm hoping that the foods of one reflects on the other. Furthermore, creme caramel, as it's often called, is a well-known and often served dessert in much of the Middle East so I'm speculating the Assyrians eat it too.

This recipe for caramel custard (or creme caramel, or flan, however you want to call it) is very simple and delicious. I was so taken with it that I will surely make it whenever I have a craving for flan.

One word of warning, however. The melted sugar is really hot. Avoid contact with your skin at all costs. Foolishly enough, I spilled some on myself when I was pouring it into the pots and I got 2nd degree burns on my fingers! So be careful.

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Caramel Custard

Ingredients

3/4 cup sugar

4 eggs

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup water

Instructions

Melt sugar on medium heat in a small, heavy pot. Make sure to not burn it. Pour it into your flan mold (you can use a large flan mold, or individual ones), coating bottom and sides evenly. Let cool.

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Beat eggs, add condensed milk, water and vanilla. Mix well. Pour mixture into the caramel-coated mold. Place mold in pan containing 1 inch hot water. Bake for 50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to Cool.

Run knife around edge of mold and turn over on serving dish. Serve.

Adapted from: Recipes of Syrian Christians in the Middle East.