Kristoffer's Cakes in McKinley Park boasts signature creation: Chocoflan

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A McKinley Park bakery is a homecoming of sorts for a local family. After opening in Pilsen in 2003, they moved to Florida five years ago. But the family couldn't keep away.

So a few months ago, they re-opened on 35th Street, now focusing primarily on cakes. One of them is called a chocoflan, and it's unlike any other in town.

Extra Course: Kristoffer's Cakes

In Steve's Extra Course Video, he takes a look a few of the other items they're baking, like muffins and giant cookies.

Cristina Chavarria named her first bakery after her newborn son, Kristoffer. That baby is now 16 years old, helping her out in the kitchen at Kristoffer's Cakes on a quiet corner in McKinley Park. Her signature creation is the same: chocoflan.

"It's baked together, so I put cheese in my flan. I don't like wobbly flan, so I put cream cheese in there," Chavarria said.

In a blender, she combines eggs and vanilla extract, adding that cream cheese, along with sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk. Meanwhile, she combines cocoa and eggs, adding milk and oil. Then she sets a timer while mixing up that chocolate cake batter in a stand mixer.

Once the flan is well combined, she pours into a caramel-lined pan - that will eventually become the top - and a minute or so later, she's adding the chocolate cake batter to the same pan.

"Each one of them gets mixed separate, then it goes in the pan all together. When it comes out, they separate and it becomes just one nice chocoflan," Chavarria said.

But first, she bakes it for an hour and fifteen minutes. Then has to let it cool for at least two hours, so that the chocoflan comes away from the sides of the pan easily.

Impatience will only ruin this creation. But when it works, it really works.

"You can clearly see the flan and the chocolate cake," Chavarria said.

Another great option is her tres leches: eggs, flour, oil and vanilla are combined in a stand mixer, baked and then covered in a frosting that's not nearly as sweet as you'd think.

In the case of her coconut flavor, the balance is remarkable. The addition of some dried coconut on the outside just accents how soft and moist the interior is.

"My husband's favorite is the coconut. He can sell that to anyone, it just melts in your mouth," Chavarria said.

Kristoffer's Cakes

1735 W. 35th St.

773-801-1831

kristofferscakes.com