Individual vanilla flan with cajeta

Set silicone muffin tins (or aluminum ones) in a large roasting pan, or split them between two casserole dishes.

Warm about half a cup of cajeta in the microwave until fluid and pour some into nine molds, tilting to cover the bottoms; lay them flat.

Put the eggs in a bowl, separate the four yolks into it by hand, and beat until it is one color.

Add the sweetened condensed milk and the vanilla extract and mix until completely smooth.

Heat the milk over low heat; set the bowl on a damp towel and dribble the hot milk in while whisking, warming the custard so it bakes faster and more evenly.

Transfer to a spouted quart measuring cup and fill the cajeta-lined molds to the top.

Heat water in a kettle to just below a boil.

With the pan on the middle rack of an oven preheated to 325 degrees, pour hot water around the molds to about an inch deep.

Bake about 35 to 40 minutes, until almost set with a little jiggle in the middle.

Cool in the water bath, then refrigerate a couple of hours until firm and springy like Jell-O.

Run a small knife around each flan, blade tilted toward the mold; cover with a half sheet pan, flip, press and shake to release, and peel off the molds.

Scrape out the cajeta left in the molds to spoon over when serving; serve cool, lifted with a small spatula.