4.9 from 27 votes
Caramel Flan
This is hands down the best Flan recipe ever! This flan recipe has the smoothest, creamiest custard and topped with caramelized sugar. This is my neighbor's famous recipe that she has been making for over 60 years!
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
Servings: 12
Calories: 157 kcal
Course:
Dessert
Cuisine:
Mexican
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- (2) ounce cans evaporated milk
- (1) ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 5 eggs
- 4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Topping Ideas:
- fresh whipped cream
- fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a heavy-bottomed pot, add 1 cup of sugar, and cook on medium-low heat until sugar is completely melted and a deep golden brown. Pick up the pan and swirl it around to ensure the sugar is evenly melted.
- Once the sugar is melted, immediately pour into a 9-inch cake plate, pie plate, or flan pan. Swirl around until evenly coated. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or blender, combine the filling ingredients. Whip until creamy. Pour into the baking pan.
- Place the pan on a larger baking sheet or roasting pan. Place in oven and carefully add hot water to reach at least 1-2 inches on the sides.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Carefully remove flan from oven, leaving behind larger pan filled water. Once flan is removed, carefully remove the pan of hot water. Place flan back inside roasting pan, filled with water, to slowly cool for 30 minutes.
- Place flan in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours, overnight is ideal.
- When ready to serve, take a knife and run along sides of the pan. Take a cake plate or serving platter and place it on top of the pan. Flip it over and the flan with release so the caramel is now on the top. The caramel will slowly drip off of the pan so make sure you get all of the caramel.
- Serve with fresh whipped cream and strawberries.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Why do I need to use a water bath when making flan?
- One of the secrets to achieving a smooth, creamy texture in flan is using a water bath during baking. This gentle, indirect heat of hot water surrounding the pan helps prevent the edges from overcooking and ensures even cooking throughout the custard. It helps to ensure the flan doesn’t curdle or dry out.
- Do I need to make my flan custard in a blender?
- This is such an easy flan recipe because the custard is made in a blender which helps to create the most velvety, smoothest flan. Since there is cream cheese in this flan recipe, the blender makes it smooth and creamy.
- What are tips for removing flan from the pan?
- When you remove the flan from the oven, I suggest running a sharp knife along the edges so that as it cools, it doesn’t stick to the pan. After it chills in the refrigerator, run a knife along the edges one more time to ensure it is loose from the pan before inverting on a plate. When the pan is inverted, you may hit the bottom of the pan to ensure all of the flan is released onto the plate.
Nutrition Information
Calories
157kcal
(8%)
Carbohydrates
26g
(9%)
Protein
3g
(6%)
Fat
5g
(8%)
Saturated Fat
2g
(10%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.5g
Monounsaturated Fat
2g
Trans Fat
0.01g
Cholesterol
78mg
(26%)
Sodium
56mg
(2%)
Potassium
39mg
(1%)
Sugar
25g
(50%)
Vitamin A
227IU
(5%)
Vitamin C
0.003mg
(0%)
Calcium
20mg
(2%)
Iron
0.3mg
(2%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 12Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 157
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 157kcal | 8% |
| Carbohydrates | 26g | 9% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 5g | 8% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.5g | 3% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Trans Fat | 0.01g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 78mg | 26% |
| Sodium | 56mg | 2% |
| Potassium | 39mg | 1% |
| Sugar | 25g | 50% |
| Vitamin A | 227IU | 5% |
| Vitamin C | 0.003mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 20mg | 2% |
| Iron | 0.3mg | 2% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.