If you’ve ever been to an authentic Mexican restaurant, you’ve likely seen flan on the menu. But if you haven’t had the opportunity to try this rich dessert, you may still be wondering: what is a flan? 

You could compare flan to cake or custard, but it’s somewhere in between the two. Flan is similar to cake in that it’s baked in the shape of one and served in slices. That said, this delicacy is served cold, and it has a thick, pudding-like texture—not cakey at all. 

What is it that gives flan this texture and feel? Flan is heavy on the eggs and contains both regular and condensed milk.

The best way to get to know this dish is by baking your own flan. If you’re not much of a baker or you’re relatively new to the kitchen, that’s not a problem. 

Our easy flan recipe with milk is almost foolproof, and once you make it, you’ll see how simple making a professional-looking dessert can be.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Total time: 5 hours 35 minutes (includes cooling/setting time)

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• ¾ cup granulated sugar

• 4 large eggs

• 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

• 1 ¼ cup whole milk

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preparation instructions 

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.

2. Have a 7-inch flan pan or round baking pan (any cake pan will do) ready on your workstation; the next step goes quickly.

3. Add the sugar directly to a skillet on medium heat, stirring continuously. The sugar will start to turn golden and eventually melt completely, achieving a syrupy consistency. Beware of burning. As soon as the syrup forms, remove the skillet from the heat. 

4. Quickly transfer the syrup to the flan or baking pan, coating the entire bottom. If the sugar starts to harden up and becomes difficult to work with, you can put the baking or flan pan over very low heat until the sugar becomes liquid again. Be sure to do this with oven mitts on. When you’ve finished coating the bottom of the pan, set it to one side and let the sugar cool and firm up.

5. In the meantime, combine the eggs, condensed milk, whole milk, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Don’t mix too vigorously because you don’t want to create a frothy texture. 

6. Pour the egg and milk mixture, which will become the custard, into the pan. Then, cover the pan with the lid that came with it or aluminum foil if you don’t have a flan pan.

7. Put the pan inside of a larger baking dish. Then, add water just to the baking dish, until the liquid reaches the halfway mark of the pan. This is known as a water bath. Be sure not to add in too much water; it’s important that the water and the flan remain separate. 

8. As steadily as possible, transfer the baking dish with the pan inside to the oven. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

9. After removing the baking dish from the oven, keep your oven mitts on to remove the pan from the water. Then, peel back the foil or carefully remove and set aside the lid. The flan will continue to cook so long as it is hot, so don’t worry too much about the texture at this stage. 

10. Allow the flan to cool completely before refrigerating it to prevent the growth of bacteria. When it reaches room temperature, cover the flan again and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours. You can refrigerate the flan overnight if that’s easiest. 

11. When you remove the flan from the refrigerator, it’s time to invert it. Remove the foil or lid and carefully work a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen up the flan. Then, put a plate that is slightly bigger in circumference on top of the pan. Hold onto the pan and plate and flip. With any luck, the flan will come out clean and the syrup will be pooled on top. Slice and enjoy.

Chef’s tip: If the flan does not release from the pan, take a break. Leave the flan alone for a minute, then try running the knife around the edges again, and give the sides a few taps before attempting to flip it again. 

Recipe adapted from Isabel Eats

joanna wnuk - stock.adobe.com

Nutrition information per slice

• Calories: 298

• Fat: 8 grams

• Saturated Fat: 4 grams

• Carbohydrates: 48 grams 

• Protein: 8 grams

• Cholesterol: 110 milligrams

• Sodium: 98 milligrams

• Potassium: 37 milligrams 

• Fiber: None

• Sugar: 48 grams

FAQs

Where is flan from?

This dessert is popular in Mexico as both an everyday treat and a homemade delicacy to serve at parties. The dish seems to have originated in Spain and made its way across the world during the Spanish occupation of Latin America.  

How long does flan last?

Flan will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days, but we doubt it will last that long, since your guests are sure to devour this dessert in one sitting. If you do need to refrigerate leftovers, cover the flan tightly with plastic wrap.

How can you make a caramel flan recipe? 

Many people search for caramel flan recipes, but look no further than the one given above. “Caramel flan” is redundant, seeing that caramelized sugar tops this dessert; all flan is caramel flan. 

topntp - stock.adobe.com

If you’re ready to go on this baking adventure, consider Gopuff your assistant pastry chef. Send this service for your ingredients as you prep your workstation. You’ll be ready to get right to work when your items arrive.