Flan
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Flan is a rich, sweet custard topped with caramel sauce. It looks fancy, but it’s actually quite simple to make.
One of the most popular Latin desserts, flan is a rich, sweet custard topped with caramel sauce. It’s made with a mixture of eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and other flavorings, and then baked gently in a water bath until it is set but still creamy. The custard is then inverted onto a plate, revealing a layer of saucy caramel on top. Flan is almost identical to the French custard dessert crème caramel; it’s also similar to crème brûlée, only it’s a bit denser and, instead of the brittle caramel top, the caramel is liquid.
Though it looks impressive, flan is actually quite simple to make. This classic version adapted from Cook’s Illustrated is my go-to recipe. It’s prepared in a loaf pan rather than a wide cake pan, so it’s easy to unmold without breaking—and since it’s made up to four days ahead of time, it’s a wonderful dessert for company.
“Restaurant quality flan without the fuss (and fear)…A definite keeper.”
What You’ll Need To Make Flan
- Sugar: Forms the caramel sauce that coats the flan, adding a rich sweetness and glossy finish.
- Eggs and Egg Yolks: Provide structure and richness to the custard, giving the flan its creamy texture.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk and Evaporated Milk: Add creaminess and sweetness to the custard base, ensuring a decadent flavor.
- Whole Milk: Contributes to the velvety texture of the flan, enhancing its richness without overwhelming the other flavors.
- Vanilla Extract: Infuses the flan with a warm, aromatic flavor, complementing the richness of the custard.
- Bourbon: Adds depth, complexity, and a subtle hint of warmth to the flan’s flavor profile.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Caramel
Stir the sugar and 1/4 cup water together in a medium saucepan until the sugar is completely moistened. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, without stirring. Continue cooking until the mixture begins to turn golden.
Gently swirling the pan, continue to cook until sugar is a pale honey color.
Remove from the heat and swirl the pan until the sugar is a reddish-amber color and fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds.
Carefully swirl in 2 tablespoons of warm tap water until incorporated – be careful as the mixture will bubble and steam. The water helps thin the caramel, so it doesn’t all stick to the pan after the flan bakes in the oven.
Pour the caramel into 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan and set aside. The caramel will harden in the pan.
Step 2: Make the Custard
Whisk together the eggs and egg yolks in large bowl.
Add the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk, vanilla, Bourbon, and salt and whisk until incorporated.
Strain mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a larger bowl. The strainer will catch little bits of egg that you don’t want in your flan.
Pour the strained custard into the loaf pan over the caramel. Cover the loaf pan tightly with aluminum foil.
Step 3: Bake
Place the loaf pan in the center of a 9×13-inch baking or roasting pan (preferably with high sides) to make a water bath. Place the nested pans in the oven; using a tea kettle or pitcher, pour hot water around the loaf pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the loaf pan. The purpose of the water bath is to moderate the heat and ensure that the mixture cooks evenly into a smooth and creamy custard. (Cheesecake uses the same technique.)
Bake for 75 to 90 minutes. Very carefully pull back the foil (there will be steam that has accumulated under it) to ensure the custard is set around the edges but still a bit jiggly in the center. The custard should not be completely set when it is removed from the oven; it will continue to cook as it cools. Remove the pans from the oven. Remove the foil and leave the flan in the water bath for about one hour to cool.
Step 4: Chill and Unmold the Flan
Remove the loaf pan from water bath, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and chill overnight or up to 4 days. To unmold the flan, carefully slide a knife around the edges of the pan.
Invert a platter with a raised rim on top of the flan and turn the pan and platter over. If it doesn’t release immediately, let it sit inverted for a minute and it should eventually slide out. Remove the loaf pan and, using a rubber spatula, scrape the residual caramel over the flan. You won’t be able to release all of it – that’s okay. Slice the flan and spoon the sauce over the individual servings. Serve with berries, if you like.
Frequently Asked Questions
Good question! Some options are my macarons, chocolate chip meringue cookies, and coconut macaroons.
Sure, it will last nicely in the fridge, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for up to 4 days.
If you don’t have whole milk, you can substitute 2% milk or half-and-half, but I don’t recommend skim milk.
Yep, the bourbon can be substituted based on preference. You can use another type of liquor like rum or brandy to add a different flavor profile. If you prefer not to use any alcohol, just increase the vanilla by 2 teaspoons.
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Video Tutorial
Flan
Flan is a rich, sweet custard topped with caramel sauce. It looks fancy, but it’s actually quite simple to make.
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs plus 5 yolks
- 1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (12-oz) can evaporated milk
- ½ cup whole milk (half-and-half or 2% milk may be substituted but do not use skim milk)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon Bourbon (see note)
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- (This recipe should be made at least one day before serving.) Adjust a rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Stir together the sugar and ¼ cup water in a small heavy saucepan until the sugar is completely moistened. Bring to boil over medium-high heat and cook, without stirring, until the mixture begins to turn golden. Gently swirling the pan, continue to cook until sugar is a honey color. Remove from the heat and swirl the pan until the sugar is reddish-amber and fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Carefully swirl in 2 tablespoons of warm tap water until incorporated – be careful as the mixture will bubble and steam. This whole process should take less than 10 minutes.
- Pour the caramel into an 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan; do not scrape out the saucepan. (Note: The caramel will solidify when you pour it into the loaf pan. That's ok -- it will soften up again as it bakes.) Set the loaf pan aside. (To clean the hardened caramel from the saucepan, fill the pan with water and bring it to a boil.)
- Whisk the eggs and yolks in large bowl until combined. Add the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk, vanilla, Bourbon, and salt and whisk until incorporated. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl to remove any bits of egg; then pour the strained custard into the loaf pan over the caramel. Cover the loaf pan tightly with aluminum foil.
- Place the loaf pan in the center of a 9x13-inch baking or roasting pan (preferably with high sides) to make a water bath. Place the nested pans in the oven; then, using a tea kettle or pitcher, pour hot water around the loaf pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the loaf pan. Bake for 75 to 90 minutes. Very carefully pull back the foil (there will be steam that has accumulated under it) to ensure the custard is set around the edges but still a bit jiggly in the center. (Don’t worry that it seems undercooked. The custard will continue to cook as it cools, and the center will set completely -- I promise!) Carefully remove the pans from the oven. Remove the foil and leave the flan in the water bath for 1 hour to cool.
- Remove the loaf pan from the water bath and wipe the pan dry. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge overnight or up to 4 days.
- To unmold the flan, carefully slide a sharp knife around the edges of the pan. Invert a platter with a raised rim (to contain the liquid caramel) on top of the flan and turn the pan and platter over. If the flan doesn’t release immediately, let it sit inverted for a minute and it should slide out. If it still doesn't come out, try running the knife around the edges again. When the flan is released, remove the loaf pan. Using rubber spatula, scrape the residual caramel onto the platter. You won’t be able to release all of the caramel – that’s okay. Slice the flan and spoon the sauce over individual portions. (Leftover flan may be covered loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 4 days.)
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Serving size: 1 slice
- Calories: 249
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Sugar: 39 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Sodium: 224 mg
- Cholesterol: 61 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I made this recipe and it turned out absolutely perfect and delicious. I followed the recipe to a T. It was So beautiful I almost didn’t want to cut it. Everything about it was spot on. I am now wanting to make a chocolate flan. How would I go about doing this using this recipe? Is that possible? Do you have a recipe for a chocolate flan? Thanks so much for sharing this.
So glad you enjoyed this, Beth! Instead of tweaking this recipe to make a chocolate version, I’d just look for one that’s designed to be chocolate. I think you’ll have the most success if you go that route. 🙂
I totally understand. We enjoyed this one down to the last drop of caramel sauce lol. Thank you so much for this recipe and your advice on making a chocolate flan as well.
For the first time in my life….. my caramel sauce came out perfectly! I have tried so many times and failed. Must have been the water in the recipe! Your recipe is easy! Thank you!! Also, straining the liquid was brilliant. Egg particles are caught! My flan is baking…. to be continued!
Hi Jenn,
Thank you for this recipe. It was my first time making flan and it turned out exactly as seen on your photos, the texture is silky, smooth and jiggly, and tastes just like I imagined it would.
After reading Heather S. comment here about a traditional version from New Mexico, I decided to use a bit of bitter almond flavoring (which I happened to have at hand) instead of Bourbon (which I didn’t). It added quite a strong amaretto-like flavor that balanced the sweetness of the caramel sauce just perfectly for me. I also used real vanilla seeds instead of an extract, and brown cane sugar for making the caramel, so the color turned out really rich, deep brown.
Thanks again for your hands-on instructions!
Greetings from Hungary!
Hi Jenn, I have a question about a Crème Brule I made on the weekend. I have made it before and it turned out perfect but at the time, I didn’t have a convection oven. When I made it on Sunday, the top of the custard browned a little and I don’t know why. I turned the temperature down from 350 to 325 and covered them. What would you have done differently? I like the convection for some things but baking is always tricky. I had the proper amount of water for the bath but it’s like the oven was cooking the top instead of steaming it like a custard. Thanks Jenn. I guess this question would apply to this recipe too.
Thanks, Cathy
Hi Cathy, You did the right thing in reducing the oven temp by 25° while using the convection setting. Does your oven still have the traditional/non-fan option? If so, I’d go that route as you know that you will get a predictable result. (I develop and publish all my recipes using the traditional/non-fan option.)
Your caramel doesn’t work, it never came brown, and I tried 2 times.
Hi Miley, Sorry you had a problem with the caramel! It sounds like maybe you didn’t cook the sauce long enough to get caramel-colored. Is it possible you took the sauce off the heat too soon?
I’ve been making this flan for a few years now and it is spot on every time (minus the aluminum foil step). Add the sugar to a 1qt stainless steel pot with the water. Mix it until it’s sludgy. Then cook it on med/high without touching it until it turns golden. Then slowly swirl the pot and it will darken a bit. Once it begins to darken, remove it from the heat but keep swirling. It will turn reddish. Add the two tablespoons of cold water to it and keep swirling for about 15 more seconds. Pour into your loaf pan right away. Don’t start preparing the rest of the ingredients until you’ve done this, as it needs time to set before pouring the egg mixture on top of it. Good luck! 🙂
Jenn
Recently made this for the first time.
Video was great, very helpful and so on minute to minute explaining when caramelizing the sugar.
Folks were amazed presentation,
and how amazingly good it was.
made it last night. AMAZING!
This is going in my top 10 saved receipts😊
Hi Jenn,
So I’m making this recipe for the hundredth time seems like and I got to thinking about autumn. Too early? I’m in Texas and as we slowly roast with no rain in sight, I’m trying to stay sane by thinking about cooler weather. Is there any chance that you might consider giving your flan fans a pumpkin pie version of this? I’d love to try it! This is my most requested dessert and I’d like to mix it up a little 🙂 Also, instead of using Bourbon, I’ve been using Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract and it’s wonderful!
So glad you enjoy the flan enough to make it in August in Texas! I will add a pumpkin version to my list of recipes to potentially develop–thanks for the suggestion!
Hello Jen,
I want to make this recipe in small 2.5-Inch ramekins. Do I need to adjust the baking time at all?
HI Suparna, I’m not 100 percent sure how long they’ll take but I’d start checking at about 25 minutes give or take. Just keep a close eye on them!
Hello Jenn. Strangely enough I was craving this dessert a week ago and came across your article the day after making it using a simpler recipe. I do look forward to uping my game with that shot bourbon, sounds delicious. Pudim or Pudim de leite condensado (Flan/creme caramel) is one of my top food memories of Brazil 💕 Thank you for sharing!
Hope you enjoy if you make it! 🙂
I’m here *in* Brazil/ São p There is no regular evaporated milk (non sweetened) in Brazil (or at least not in any regular or upscale grocery). Is there a way to adjust that you’d suggest? (Brazilian-based recipes I’m still not used to, esp that they are the vaguest, nonspecific ever-like, a cup means a measured cup for us, but a cup in Brazil means find something that you can find in the cupboard that resembles a cup that you had coffee in this morning….etc etc etc).
Hi Greg, If you can’t find evaporated milk, you can substitute it with half and half. Another option is to make your own evaporated milk. You can read how here. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
perfect recipe! easy to print and switch between metric and cups.