Easiest Caramel Flan
If you’ve been looking for a caramel flan recipe, I have one for you that might be the easiest out there! But don’t think because it’s easy that it’s inferior to the more complicated ones you’ve found in your travels. This flan turns out so smooth and creamy with a gorgeous deep caramel flavor. The silky smooth texture melts in your mouth like a creamy cloud with that subtle kiss of vanilla flavor. And the best part about this–it only uses 5 simple ingredients!
Why is This Caramel Flan so Easy?
The first reason why this caramel flan is so easy is it only has 5 ingredients. Not just that, but they are simple ingredients. Eggs, milk, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and sugar. Many people have these ingredients on hand all the time, so less trips to the grocery store.
Another reason is you don’t need to separate any eggs–you just put them in whole. Many caramel flan recipes call for using egg yolks only, which leaves you with the problem of leftover egg whites. You don’t need to use pure egg yolks because the sweetened condensed milk is so rich, this flan still turns out so smooth and creamy!
Can I Use Evaporated Milk Instead of Whole Milk?
Yes you can! Many recipes actually call for evaporated milk and it works amazing. You can not however use evaporated milk in place of the sweetened condensed milk.
Can I Use a Blender to Make Caramel Flan?
You absolutely can. Blender, food processor–either work great. An emersion hand blender is super handy for making caramel flan!
There is a Thick Layer of Candy at the Bottom of my Pan. What Should I do?
Sometimes the caramel layer doesn’t fully come out when you invert the flan onto the plate. If you still have a layer of candy at the bottom of the pan, simply place it on a burner of the stove and heat gently. The candy will become loose and you can then pour it back onto the flan.
This caramel flan is tasty and elegant enough for your next special occasion–and everyone will think you slaved for hours making it! With Valentine’s Day around the corner, why not give this a shot for that special dessert for your sweetheart? But quite honestly, it’s so easy you won’t even need a special occasion whenever you feeling like making it. See for yourself! And please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it turned out for you!
Easiest Caramel Flan
Ingredients
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 5 eggs
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14 oz
- 1½ cans whole milk 21 oz
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla
Instructions
CARAMEL
- In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Do not stir it. Heat over medium high until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and allow the mixture to cook until it begins to turn a light caramel color. Stir only enough evenly distribute the heat.
- Cook another minute or so until it turns a deeper caramel color. Remove from heat immediately, working swiftly as the caramel can burn very quickly. Pour the caramel into a 5 X 9 inch loaf pan or any pan of similar size. carefully tip the pan back and forth to completely cover the bottom and even the sides of the pan. Be careful as the pan may be very hot from the caramel. Set this aside on a rack to cool.
CUSTARD
- Prepare a water bath (aka bain marie) by filling a large pot with water. This pot should be large enough to hold the pan in which you are making your flan. Cover and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs until smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk and mix again until smooth. Now using the empty can from the sweetened condensed milk, add 1½ cans worth of whole milk. This should be around 21 oz. Add vanilla and whisk the mixture well until very smooth. (You can even do this in a blender or food processor.)
- Strain the custard mixture into the caramel lined pan. The caramel at the bottom will likely have hardened by now and you may hear it crack. This is perfectly normal. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and seal the edges tightly. Set into the water bath with simmering water so the level reaches at least halfway up the loaf pan. Cover and boil the flan for 45-50 minutes or until the center is jiggly. It should feel cooked in the middle but not too firm as it continues to cook more after the water bath.
- Cool the flan completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, cover with plastic (or you can just use the aluminum foil from cooking) and chill 4 hours or overnight. When it's time to serve, prepare a plate to invert the flan onto. Run a knife around the edges of the flan, place the serving plate on top and carefully flip the whole thing over. The flan should fall out onto the plate. If it doesn't tap the pan lightly and it should release. Spoon the caramel sauce over the flan as you serve and enjoy.