Cheese Flan

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
• Melt the sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until it turns into a smooth dark amber caramel.
• Pour into the bottom of an 8-inch souffle dish or other round mold.
• Using the back of a knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add to a blender.
• Add the three milks, eggs, cream cheese and almond extract.
• Blend until smooth, then pour through a strainer into the caramel-lined mold.
• Set the mold into a larger baking pan and pour enough very hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the mold.
• Bake until the flan has set, 2 1/2-3 hours-- a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
• Let cool, then cover the mold and refrigerate overnight.
• When you are ready to serve, run a knife along the inside of the mold to loosen the flan.
• Pour about 1/2 inch of hot water in a pan large enough to hold the mold and set the mold in it for 10 minutes, so it will unmold more easily.
• Remove it from the water, wipe dry and place a shallow bowl or a small platter over the top.
• Invert the flan into the bowl, and serve.