Ingredients
Scale
For the caramel:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
For the flan:
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 5 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F and place a 9-inch round cake pan or flan mold inside a larger roasting pan.
- Combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat, swirling occasionally (don’t stir) until the sugar dissolves and turns a deep amber color, about 8-10 minutes.
- Immediately pour the hot caramel into your flan pan, tilting quickly to coat the bottom evenly before it hardens.
- Whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until smooth and well combined.
- Strain the custard mixture through a fine-mesh sieve directly into the caramel-lined pan to remove any lumps.
- Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the flan pan, creating a water bath.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes until the flan is set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the center when gently shaken.
- Remove from the water bath and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Run a thin knife around the edges, place a serving plate on top, and flip quickly to unmold, the caramel will cascade over the flan.
Notes
- Don’t skip the water bath, it prevents cracking and ensures even cooking
- The flan is done when the edges are set but the center still wobbles slightly; it continues cooking as it cools
- If you don’t have a roasting pan, any large baking dish that fits your flan pan will work
- Room temperature eggs mix more smoothly into the custard
- Make sure your caramel is a true amber color for the best flavor, too light and it’ll be bland, too dark and it tastes bitter
- This recipe easily doubles if you’re using a larger pan; just increase baking time by 15-20 minutes
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Spanish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (about 120–130 g)
- Calories: 230 kcal
- Sugar: 26 g
- Sodium: 140 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 155 mg