Cuban Flan (Flan Cubano)
A smooth, rich caramel custard dessert made with sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and eggs. This Cuban classic is baked in a water bath until silky and served chilled with a golden caramel sauce.
Equipment
- Medium saucepan (for caramel)
- Flan mold or round baking dish
- Large roasting pan (for water bath)
- Blender or mixing bowl & whisk
- Mesh strainer (optional for extra smooth texture)
- Aluminum foil
- Knife (to unmold)
Ingredients
- For the caramel:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 –3 tablespoons water optional, helps dissolve sugar evenly
- For the custard:
- 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 12 oz can evaporated milk
- 5 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Optional ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Melt sugar in a pan until it turns golden (this is your caramel). Pour into your baking dish.
- Mix eggs, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
- Pour the mixture over the caramel in the dish.
- Place the dish inside a bigger pan and fill the outer pan with hot water.
- Cover with foil and bake for about 1 hour (until slightly jiggly in the center).
- Cool, then refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
- Flip onto a plate to serve!
Notes
- The caramel hardens quickly, so swirl fast and carefully—use oven mitts.
- The flan should jiggle slightly in the center when done (like Jell-O), but not slosh.
- Best served cold, and can be made a day in advance.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Optional: Add lemon or orange zest to the custard for a citrus twist.
