Filipino Leche Flan
A silky Filipino custard dessert with a golden caramel base. Baked in a water bath until perfectly creamy, it's elegant enough for parties but simple enough for weeknight dinners.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 6
- Calories
- 385
- Protein
- 8g
Ingredients
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
- 8 whole egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- 1
Set the oven to 350°F and wait until the indicator light tells you it has finished preheating, about 10 minutes.
- 2
Pour 0.75 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons water into a small saucepan. Stir gently with a spoon until the sugar is just moistened and looks like wet sand.
- 3
Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and do not stir — let it sit. After about 5 minutes, the edges will turn amber (honey-colored). Swirl the pan gently to move the darker parts to the center.
- 4
When all the sugar is deep amber (like caramel candy), immediately remove the pan from heat. Pour the caramel into the bottom of a 9-inch round baking dish, tilting quickly to coat the bottom in an even layer. Set aside and let cool — it will harden as it cools, about 2 minutes.
- 5
Crack the 8 egg yolks into a medium mixing bowl. Add 1 can sweetened condensed milk, 1 can evaporated milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- 6
Use a whisk to beat the mixture vigorously for about 2 minutes until it looks uniform and slightly pale — there should be no visible streaks of egg white or thicker spots.
- 7
Pour the custard mixture slowly through a fine-mesh strainer into a separate bowl, letting it drip through for about 1 minute — this removes air bubbles and any lumps so the flan stays silky.
- 8
Pour the strained custard over the hardened caramel in the baking dish, pouring slowly and carefully so the caramel doesn't crack.
- 9
Place the flan dish inside a larger roasting pan. Pour hot water (from a kettle) into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the flan dish — this is a water bath that keeps the custard from curdling.
- 10
Carefully transfer the roasting pan to the preheated oven. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes — the flan is done when the edges are set but the center still jiggles slightly when you gently shake the dish, like soft Jello.
- 11
Remove the flan from the oven and let it cool in the roasting pan until the water is no longer hot to the touch, about 15 minutes.
- 12
Carefully lift the flan dish out of the roasting pan and set it on a kitchen counter. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight — the flan must be completely cold before serving.
- 13
Run a thin-bladed knife around the edges of the flan, pressing the blade against the side of the dish to loosen the custard from the wall.
- 14
Place a serving plate (with a slight rim) upside down over the flan dish. Hold the plate and dish together firmly and flip them in one quick motion so the flan slides onto the plate, caramel-side up.
Tools you’ll need
- small saucepan
- 9-inch round baking dish
- medium mixing bowl
- whisk
- fine-mesh strainer
- large roasting pan
- kettle (for hot water)
- thin-bladed knife
- serving plate with rim
- oven
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
