Creamy Puerto Rican Cheese Flan Recipe in 5 Steps!
This creamy Puerto Rican cheese flan recipe is all you need for the next holiday gathering! So creamy and rich, your guests will not be able to resist it. Extra flavor variations included!
Equipment
- 1 small saucepan
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Blender or Food Processor
- 9" round baking pan or flan pan I used a Bundt cake pan
- Larger pan for water bath
Ingredients
Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup sugar (granulated white)
Custard
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 12 oz can evaporated milk
- 1 14 oz can condensed milk
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt optional
Instructions
Caramelize the Sugar.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare the water bath by placing the larger roasting pan in the oven, and filling it up with water, about 2 inches.
- To melt the sugar, set the stove to medium heat and pour the sugar in the pan. As it begins to caramelize, use a wooden spoon or silicone spoonula to stir it until it is all dissolved and turns into an amber color. Then pour the caramel into your mold. With oven mitts, grab the flan mold and swirl the caramel around to cover the bottom and about one to two inches high on the sides of the pan. This is the caramel layer that covers the flan. Set it aside and work on the custard.
Prepare the Custard.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to a blender or food processor to ensure an homogeneous blend as possible. Pour the flan mixture into the mold, over the caramel. You might hear some cracking noises, that is completely normal.
Bake.
- Place the flan mold in the water bath, and bake for 60 minutes, or until golden. The center of the flan will still jiggle like Jell-O when it is done. It should not be hard. Insert a toothpick toward the center to check, it should come out mostly clean.
Cool and Set.
- Once baked, move it from the water bath to a cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely before covering it with plastic wrap and moving the mold to the refrigerator. It needs to sit in the refrigerator for at least four hours to set, although overnight is preferred.
Serve.
- After the flan is set, slide a damp butter knife around the edges of the flan, then place a large plate over the pan. Flip the pan onto the plate and allow the flan to sit for a few minutes to get as much caramel over it as possible. Remove the mold, slice into servings and serve.
- ¡Buen provecho from The Happy Wookiee!
Notes
If you do not have a blender or food processor, whisk everything thoroughly in a large bowl until well incorporated. Then pour the custard mixture through a sieve to remove any remaining lumps.
Thinking of skipping the water bath? I know it seems cumbersome, but this ensures the flan cooks evenly. The consistency of any custard dessert depends on the hot water so the eggs do not curdle, and the heat is distributed equally. This also avoids cracks and dry spots on your flan. Do it carefully and one step at a time. You have got this!
About 15 minutes before it is done baking, check the flan to ensure it is not browning too fast. If it is, place some aluminum foil over it and continue baking. This will keep it from burning the bottom of the flan.
If you want to make individual (personal) flan, do the same but split the caramel sauce and custard mixture into several ramekins. Place them in a water bath and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 45 to 60 minutes. Keep a close eye on the 45-minute mark. The rest of the instructions (before and after) are the same.
Any leftover flan will keep well for up to three days in an airtight container or covered tightly.
For flavor variations (classic flan, coconut flan or flan de coco, or pumpkin spice coquito flan) scroll up. 😊