Flan is a traditional Latin American dessert recipe. A rich custard topped with caramel sauce and fresh berries is how I like to serve it. Its silky and smooth texture is what makes this so delicious and irresistible! 6 simple ingredients are all you need to make this flan cake. Great for a crowd, easy to make, and will impress every single one of your guests.
I absolutely love Latin desserts like pastel de tres leches and churros. However, this creamy custard is hands down the easiest one to make and probably my favorite.
What is Flan?
Flan is a custard dessert that’s made with milk, eggs, caramel, vanilla extract, and sometimes cream cheese. Placed in a water bath aka bain-marie, baked until fully cooked through, and then cooled for a minimum of four hours.
Is a Water Bath Necessary?
A water bath will improve the texture of the flan, so I highly recommend it. The water should reach halfway up the loaf pan or any baking dish you bake this in.
How Long Should I Leave the Flan in the Refrigerator?
A minimum of four hours before serving, but make sure to let it cool at room temperature before placing it in the fridge.
Top tips and recipe variations:
- If you don’t have a blender, feel free to whisk the custard by hand using a hand whisk or an electric mixer.
- I believe that adding a bit of cream cheese reduces the eggy taste that can sometimes be found in flan. However, simply omit the cream cheese if you prefer but it adds fantastic flavor.
- Make sure to stir the sugar frequently while cooking it.
- Prepare the caramel sauce before making the custard.
I hope you enjoy this delicious dessert as much as I do. Once you give this a try, you will never feel the need to order it at a restaurant!
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Flan
Ingredients
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 12 oz can of evaporated milk
- 1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
- 3 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Add the sugar to a skillet and cook it over medium heat for about 15 mins stirring frequently until it turns into a light brown color syrup, be careful not to burn it.
- Place the caramel into your baking dish
- Crack 3 eggs and 2 egg yolks into a bowl
- Add the evaporated milk, condensed milk, eggs, cream cheese, and vanilla extract inside the blender and blend it up then place it into the baking dish.
- Place the baking dish in a bigger baking dish and add some boiling water to create a water bath this will help the flan cook evenly.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours before serving.
Notes
- Use a blender to mix the ingredients for a smooth custard.
Nutrition
How to make flan step-by-step
- Add the sugar to a saucepan, stir the sugar frequently, and cook it over medium heat for about 15 mins or until it turns a brown color, be careful not to burn it.
- Pour the caramel into your baking dish
- Crack 3 eggs and 2 egg yolks into a bowl
- Add the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, cream cheese, and vanilla extract into the blender and blend it, then place it into the baking dish.
- Place the baking dish in a bigger baking dish and add some boiling hot water to create a water bath this will help the flan cook evenly and smooth.
- Bake the flan in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Once done cooking, let it cool at room temperature for about one hour. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours before serving.
This has the be the best flan I have made ! It’s also super easy !! Thank you for your recipe !!