Ingredients
Scale
For the caramel:
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
For the flan:
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
- 1 (14 oz) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 (12 oz) can Evaporated Milk
- 1 cup Canned Pumpkin
- 4 large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon Grated Nutmeg
To garnish:
- Cinnamon Sticks
- Pumpkin Seeds
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place a large roasting pan on the center rack and have a kettle of hot water ready for the water bath.
- Make the caramel. Pour 1 cup of granulated sugar into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Let it sit undisturbed until the edges begin to melt, then gently swirl the pan (don’t stir) until all the sugar turns a deep amber color, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Pour the caramel into your pan. Quickly and carefully pour the hot caramel into a 9-inch round cake pan or a 2-quart baking dish. Tilt the pan to coat the bottom evenly, then set aside. It will harden as it cools, and that’s exactly what you want.
- Blend the flan base. In a blender or using a hand mixer, combine the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, canned pumpkin, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Blend until completely smooth and no lumps remain, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Strain and pour. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into the caramel-coated pan to ensure the smoothest possible texture.
- Set up the water bath. Place the flan pan inside the roasting pan already in the oven. Carefully pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the flan pan.
- Bake for 55 to 65 minutes. The flan is ready when the edges are set but the center still has a gentle jiggle, like Jell-O, when you gently shake the pan. Avoid overbaking or you’ll lose that creamy texture.
- Cool and chill. Remove the flan pan from the water bath and let it cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight for best results.
- Unmold and serve. Run a thin knife around the edge of the flan. Place a large rimmed plate (bigger than the pan) on top, then flip in one confident motion. Lift the pan away slowly to let the caramel sauce flow over the top. Garnish with cinnamon sticks and pumpkin seeds before serving.
Notes
- Room temperature matters. Make sure your cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature before blending so everything incorporates smoothly without lumps.
- Use full-fat canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling is pre-spiced and sweetened, which will throw off the flavor balance.
- Baking dish size: A 9-inch round cake pan or a 2-quart dish works well. You can also use individual ramekins for single-serving flans, reduce the baking time to 35 to 40 minutes.
- Make-ahead friendly: This is actually better made a day ahead. Overnight chilling gives the texture time to fully set and the caramel to melt into a sauce.
- Unmolding tip: If the flan sticks, place the bottom of the pan briefly in a shallow dish of warm water for 30 to 60 seconds to loosen the caramel before flipping.
- Scaling up: You can double the recipe and bake it in two pans, but don’t try to bake it all in one deep dish, as it won’t cook through evenly.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking (Water Bath / Bain-Marie)
- Cuisine: Spanish-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg