In a small sauce pan, mix the sweetened condensed milk with the half and half or milk, ground candy caps, salt, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon, heat until hot, but not boiling, whisking to disperse the ingredients. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool and infuse (ideally you’ll let it infuse overnight, but you don’t have to--30 minutes to an hour of infusing is ok in a pinch).

The next day heat the custard mixture back up gently (use a microwave, pan, or whatever) until warm, but not hot enough to cook the eggs, then puree in a blender with the eggs and yolks.

Preheat the oven to 325. Lay out your ramekins or molds you’ll bake the flans in. In a small sauce pan preferably stainless steel, heat the sugar and water on high, cooking until it melts and is a dark amber. I like to take my caramel pretty far, you may like it more blonde—your choice. There will be some smoke, which is normal, so turn on a fan or hood vent before you begin.

Carefully spoon or pour the molten hot caramel into the molds about 1 tablespoon each, swirling the mold to help the sugar syrup coat the bottom of the molds. Next, pour the flan mixture evenly into the molds. Line a deep baking dish with a towel, then put the flans on the towel in the dish, which will stop them from sliding around and spilling.

Meanwhile, heat a couple quarts of water in a steam kettle or a pot, then transfer the very hot water to a pitcher or similar container for easy pouring.

When the flans are set, carefully remove the baking pan from the oven and allow to cool. Remove the flans and wrap individually in cling film and refrigerate, or serve at room temperature. The flans will keep refrigerated for 4 days.

To serve the flans, run a butter knife or small off-set spatula around the edge of each flan, and invert onto a dessert plate, drizzling the excess caramel over the top.