Caramel Flan

Name: Caramel Flan
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 7 h 50 min
Total time: 8 h 15 min
Cuisine: Spain / Latin America
Ingredients: 150 g (¾ cup) sugar; 45 ml (3 tbsp) water; 1 can (14 oz can) sweetened condensed milk (397 g); 500 ml (2 cups + 2 tbsp) whole milk; 4 large eggs (about 200 g without shells); 2 large egg yolks (about 36 g); 10 ml (2 tsp) vanilla extract; 1 pinch fine sea salt; 1 lemon or orange, zest finely grated, optional; boiling water, for the water bath

Smooth baked custard with its own dark caramel sauce

Makes: 1 flan (20 cm / 8 in round, or 900 g loaf tin)
Hands-on: 25 min
Total: 8 h 15 min
Level: Some skill

A custard baked over a layer of caramel, chilled overnight, then turned out so the caramel becomes a pool of amber sauce. This version uses whole eggs, yolks and a mix of milk and condensed milk for a dense, silky flan that unmolds cleanly.

Ingredients

Caramel

150 gsugar (¾ cup)
45 mlwater (3 tbsp)

Custard

1 cansweetened condensed milk (397 g) (14 oz can)
500 mlwhole milk (2 cups + 2 tbsp)
4large eggs (about 200 g without shells)
2large egg yolks (about 36 g)
10 mlvanilla extract (2 tsp)
1 pinchfine sea salt
1lemon or orange, zest finely gratedoptional
boiling waterfor the water bath

Diet: Vegetarian, Gluten-free
Allergens: egg, milk
Origin: Spain / Latin America

Method

Heat the oven to 160°C (325°F). Have ready a 20 cm (8 in) round cake pan or dish (not loose-bottomed) at least 6 cm deep, and a roasting pan that holds it.
For the caramel, heat the sugar and water in a small pan over medium heat, swirling until dissolved. Boil without stirring for 6–8 minutes, until a deep amber. Immediately pour into the mold and tilt to coat the base and a little way up the sides. It will harden; that's fine. 8 min
Whisk the condensed milk, milk, eggs, yolks, vanilla, salt and zest gently until smooth, without making it foamy. Strain through a sieve onto the caramel.
Cover the mold with foil, set it in the roasting pan and pour boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides.
Bake 50–60 minutes, until the edges are set and the center wobbles slightly as a whole when nudged, and reads about 80°C (176°F). 55 min
Lift the mold out of the water and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour, then chill at least 6 hours, ideally overnight. 7 h
To serve, run a thin knife around the edge, set a deep-rimmed plate on top and flip quickly. Wait a moment for the flan to drop and the caramel to flow out, then lift off the mold.

Why it works

The caramel hardens in the mold, then slowly dissolves into liquid sauce as the moist custard sits on it overnight, which is why flan needs a long chill. Condensed milk adds concentrated milk solids and sugar, giving a denser, smoother set, and the extra yolks make it silky. A water bath keeps the egg proteins from overheating and turning the custard spongy and full of holes.

Common mistakes

Pale caramel, which tastes only sweet. Take it to deep amber.
Whisking in froth, which leaves bubbles throughout the custard.
Unmolding too soon; the caramel is still stuck and the flan may crack.

Variations

Coffee flan: Dissolve 2 tsp instant espresso in the milk.
Coconut flan: Replace the whole milk with 400 ml coconut milk and 100 ml milk.

Make ahead and storage

Keeps 4 days in the fridge, in the mold, covered. Unmold just before serving.

Notes

Fan oven: 140°C (285°F).