5.0 from 12 votes
Bánh Flan (Crème Caramel)
A recipe for Bánh Flan (Crème Caramel) from the cookbook, Sweet Vietnamese Bakes! This decadent custard is baked with a layer of caramel.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Additional Time
2 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 4 Servings
Course:
Dessert
Cuisine:
Vietnamese
Ingredients
Caramel:
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar
- 6 tablespoons (90 milliliters) water divided
Custard:
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups (420 milliliters) milk
- 2/3 cup (160 milliliters) sweetened condensed milk
For serving:
- shaved ice optional
- brewed coffee optional
- Dark and white chocolate buttons optional
Instructions
- Gather four ovenproof molds, such as Pyrex® cups or ceramic ramekins, for the crème caramel. This recipe requires four molds each with a volume of 210 milliliters (a little under 1 cup).
Cup of Yum
To make the caramel:
- In a saucepan, combine the sugar and 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) of the water and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Turn the saucepan a few times to let the sugar absorb the water, but do not stir, to avoid crystallization.
- Heat the sugar until it turns golden-brown. Then, lower the heat to low, carefully pour in the remaining 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) of water, and stir until the water and caramel sugar mix together.
- Wait about 10 seconds more, then remove from the heat and pour equal-sized amounts of the caramel into the four molds. Tilt the molds to spread the caramel evenly.
- Preheat oven to 300˚F (150˚C).
To make the custard:
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks and vanilla, being careful not to create air bubbles, which could cause holes to appear in the cake after baking.
- In a small saucepan, whisk the milk and condensed milk together well over medium heat. Remove from the heat when it starts to steam.
- Pour the milk mixture slowly into the egg mixture, stirring constantly.
- Sieve the mixture to remove any lumps.
- Pour the custard mixture through a sieve again and divide it equally among the caramel-filled molds.
- Place the molds in a deep baking pan and cover them with foil.
- Put the pan in the oven and fill it halfway with boiling water to ensure the custard bakes evenly.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the custard is almost set. When the custards are done, they should jiggle slightly in the center.
- Remove from the oven and let them cool down completely.
- Put them in the fridge for at least 2 hours to bring out the best flavor. Crème Caramel lasts 5 to 7 days in the fridge.
- To remove the crème caramel from the mold, run a knife along the edges, cover with a plate, then flip to enable it to come out.
- You may eat the crème caramel as is, or with shaved ice and coffee drizzled on top, as many Vietnamese do.