Spanish Flan

Try This Spanish Flan For a Tasty, Eggy Dessert!

If you’re looking for the perfect flan recipe, you’ve got to try this Spanish flan. Also known as “Flan de huevo” or “Flan Casero”, it is a delicious egg pudding.

This flan is very simple to make and always a hit. It has a thick and creamy consistency while being sweet and very satisfying. It is perfect to serve for dessert.

It is vanilla flavored and cooked with a base of a sweet and slightly sour caramel sauce in the bottom of the mold.

When turned over, that beautiful caramel sauce spreads all over. Usually the flan is served with some whipped cream on top.

spanish flan on plate with whipping cream and sauce on top with chunk taken from it. — This Spanish flan is irresistible!

A lot of countries (not just European ones) have their own versions and names for Flan – also known as crème caramel.

Croatian flan utilizes a regional liqueur, while Portuguese flan is unique because it typically has a hole in the center!

This recipe is the classic Spanish way to make it. When in doubt about what to make for dessert, try this Spanish Flan recipe for guaranteed success!

Ingredients

To make this recipe, here are the flan ingredients that you will need:

Flan Ingredients

Whole milk – Use whole milk (3.25% fat) for that creamy, rich taste. You can use low-fat milk but the taste will be less creamy.
Granulated sugar – For the sweet taste.
Eggs – You’ll need four medium-sized or large eggs.
Vanilla bean – Ideally use a vanilla bean, alternatively you can use vanilla extract. We would not recommend using artifical vanilla extract.

Caramel Sauce Ingredients

Granulated sugar – To make the caramel sauce.
Lemon juice – For the slightly bitter flavor. Either squeeze a fresh lemon or use lemon juice.
Water – To make the caramel sauce. You’ll need more water for the water bath.

To Garnish

More caramel sauce – You can use extra caramel sauce to garnish the flan.
Whipped cream – You can also garnish the Spanish flan with whipped cream.

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

Before you make this easy flan recipe, read through these recipe tips and substitutions so that you know what to do every step of the way!

To get the perfect, even consistency in the flans, it’s crucial you strain the mixture with a fine mesh strainer and cook at 305 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 min. If you cook the flans at a higher temperature or for longer, the texture can change and some tiny holes can form. This is nothing dramatic since the the flan will still be delicious but it won’t have an even texture. Very frequently homemade flan has tiny holes.
This recipe for flan is a basic and classic one. You can incorporate different flavors into the mixture like Coffee or Argentinian dulce de leche (both are very popular flavors, too!)
While making the caramel, it’s crucial that you don’t mix it with a spatula (or anything else) and only swirl the pan. Otherwise the water evaporates quicker resulting in the formation of sugar crystals. By adding water to the caramel sauce you will get the perfect caramel sauce. It gets thicker once the temperature drops but it never gets too stiff or hardens completely.
Adding lemon juice to the mixture adds a nice bitter touch to the caramel sauce, but if you prefer, you can use water instead of lemon juice.
You can also make more caramel sauce and use it for pancakes, waffles, or anywhere you require a delicious caramel touch!
I’ve tried making Flan with either vanilla bean or vanilla extract and both are equally delicious. Of course, adding the real deal makes the flavor a tad more spectacular.
Store-bought caramel sauce would also likely work. However, since making it at home is easy and super cheap, it’s worth taking the time to do it. Also, some store-bought caramel sauces are different since they incorporate butter or cream in them, resulting in a different texture and taste. In this case, the final dessert results can be a bit different.

How to Make Spanish Flan – Step by Step Instructions

In this section, you can follow along and find out exactly how to make this recipe for flan. We’ve included the recipe process photo so that you can see exactly how we made it and track your progress.

The detailed recipe card for this recipe – with all the measurements and cooking times – can be found in the bottom of this post.

black sauce pan full of sugar with other ingredients around on white counter. — Spread the sugar out in a small pan.

First, lets make the caramel sauce. To a small pan, add the granulated sugar and spread it out evenly.

sugar in pan melting on hot plate with other ingredients sitting on counter. — Add the lemon juice.

Then add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to the pan. Swirl the pan around to mix the lemon juice with the sugar. Don’t use a spatula!

melted sugar syrup in heated pan on counter top with other ingredients for flan around. — Keep swirling the pan around.

Heat the pan on medium heat on the stovetop. The sugar will start to turn brown in some spots, keep swirling around the pan to mix everything.

spatula stirring thick caramel sauce in black sauce pan with ingredients on counter around. — Now gently mix with a spatula.

Once the sugar reached an overall nice deep brown color, remove it from heat for a moment and carefully add the water.

Now with a spatula mix everything well and cook on low for 3 minutes without bringing the mixture to a boil.

Then transfer the caramel sauce to a heat-resistant bowl and let it chill while you prep the flan mix.

pieces of vanilla bean on milk in black sauce pan on counter top. — Add the milk and vanilla seeds to a saucepan.

Next, we’ll make the flan. First, preheat the oven to 305 degrees Fahrenheit.

To a saucepan, add the milk and start heating it on the stovetop on low heat. Open the vanilla bean (if using) and scrap the tiny seeds with the help of a knife, and add them to the milk.

If you’re using vanilla extract instead, add it now too.

spatula stirring sugar into heated milk in sauce pan on counter top. — Add the sugar.

Bring the milk to a boil, then remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the sugar, mix well and let it chill for 5 minutes.

pouring white milk liquid into egg mixture in mixing bowl below on counter top. — Add the cooled milk to the eggs.

Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk them. Once the milk has cooled, add it to the eggs and whisk continuously to mix everything well.

sifting yellow egg mixture with larger bowl of mixture beside on counter top. — Strain the mixture.

Strain the mixture – using a fine mesh strainer – into a pourable container. A pitcher works well.

At this time, also bring 5-6 cups of water to a boil (you can do this with a kettle). This water will be used to cook the flan using the water bath method.

six metal dessert cups on white counter top with other ingredients around. — Add the caramel sauce to the molds.

Add a couple of teaspoons of the caramel sauce to the bottom of each flan mold.

white glass pouring vessel pouring egg flan mixture into metal cups with caramel sauce in bottom. — Pour in the flan mixture.

Then pour the flan mixture on top. Make sure to distribute it evenly.

cups of flan sitting in black tray on counter some with tin foil on top. — Cover the mold with aluminum foil.

Cover each mold with aluminum foil and transfer them to a deep baking tray.

Pour the hot water into the baking tray. It should be halfway up the outside of the molds.

Then transfer the tray to the oven and cook for 35 min at 305 degrees Fahrenheit.

six cups of spanish flan sitting on white tile counter with whipping cream around. — Let the flans cool.

Once cooked, remove the flan molds from the oven and let them chill.

Once they reach room temperature, transfer to the fridge and let them chill overnight.

hand with small knife cutting flan out of metal cups on white counter. — Carefully run a knife along the outside of the flan.

To serve them, run a knife carefully between the mold and the flan to help them release. Then turn it upside down into a small plate.

silver spoon drizzling caramel sauce on spanish flan on white plate with stuff on table behind. — Look at this Spanish flan – homemade for the win!

You can garnish the flan with more caramel sauce (optional) and whipped cream (optional but very delicious!)

Storage Tips

To store any flan that are leftover, cover them with cling film or place them in a sealed container. Better yet, only present the flan you intend to eat – the rest can stay in their molds for easy storage.

Properly stored, the flan will last for 2-3 days in the fridge.

FAQ

Here are some answers to questions about making flan:

What is flan?

Flan is a creamy, egg-based dessert. A notable characteristic is the preparation and presentation: it should be flipped out of its mold and hold its shape. Flan is often topped with a thick caramel sauce and is popular in a number of countries around the world.

What is flan made of?

Flan is typically made of few ingredients – the main one being eggs. Milk, sugar, and vanilla (bean or extract) are also necessary. Different recipes utilize different parts of the egg and other ingredients – like condensed milk – can substitute for whole milk.

What does flan taste like?

The flan itself has a thick yet creamy consistency (like custard) and a sweet vanilla flavor with a nose of egg to it. The topping of caramel sauce gives it that sweet, caramelized flavor on top!

How to make flan?

To make flan, mix the ingredients together and strain them. Transfer the mixture to dessert cups and bake them in a water bath in the oven until set. Let them cool overnight then carefully remove the flan and serve with caramel sauce and/or whipped cream!

Related Recipes

If you enjoyed this recipe for flan, here are some other Spanish recipes that are also on the sweeter side of things:

Churros w/ Spanish Hot Chocolate
Polvorones (Spanish Shortbread)
Spanish French Toast – Torrijas
Classic Sangria Recipe
Leche Merengada

This recipe was contributed by

Alba Luna Meyer

Website

Born and raised in the Southeast of Spain, Alba is a photographer and a foodie. Always hungry for new flavors and recipes, but with a big passion for traditional recipes that speak about roots and family. You can always find her talking about food, photographing it, or cooking! Obviously, she is team “tortilla de patatas con cebolla”.