- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total time
- 50 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- EASY
- Calories
- 685 kcal
Quick summary
“This traditional Flan is blended in a blender and cooked in a bain-marie covered with aluminum foil. Presents a silky texture with fluid golden syrup to serve very cold.”
What you need to know
- Cooking in a bain-marie over low heat allows the egg proteins to coagulate slowly without curdling the cream.
- Covering the pan with aluminum foil retains constant steam and prevents the formation of a dry crust.
- Cooling for 2 hours in the refrigerator is essential to structure the fat and unmold without breaking.
Ingredients
Main
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 measures of the whole milk can
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup of sugar (for the syrup)
- 1 cup of water (for the syrup)
Instructions
Principal
- Comece preparando a calda: In a saucepan, add the sugar and water and bring to medium heat until the sugar dissolves and begins to caramelize.
- When the syrup is golden, pour it into the pudding mold, spreading it over the entire surface.
- In the blender, place the condensed milk, milk, and eggs.
- Beat everything until you get a homogeneous mixture.
- Pour the mixture carefully over the already firm caramel in the mold.
- Place the pan in a water bath over the heat, covering with aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out.
- Cook for about 35 minutes, or until the flan is firm.
- After cooking, remove from heat and let cool.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before unmolding.
- Unmold carefully and serve chilled.
Chef's tips
- Caramelize the sugar until light amber color; very dark tones bitter the syrup and mask the milky flavor of the flan.
- Pass the beaten mixture through a fine sieve when pouring into the mold to retain foam and ensure uniform texture.
- Briefly pass the bottom of the pan over the stove flame before unmolding to release the cold syrup.
Variations
- Flan with little holes: blend in a blender at maximum speed for 3 minutes and bake in a water bath without boiling the water.
- Smooth and dense pudding: mix the ingredients manually with a whisk without beating to avoid incorporating air.
- Coffee pudding: add a tablespoon of instant coffee dissolved in the warm milk of the batter.
Substitutions
- Whole milk can be replaced by skim milk, resulting in pudding with lower fat content and lighter.
- The white sugar of the syrup can be replaced with crystal or demerara sugar maintaining the same measure.
- A vanilla bean or teaspoon of essence can be added to flavor the whipped cream.
How to store
Always store the pudding in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap or in the pan itself for up to 5 days. Keep the syrup around the slice to prevent the surface from drying out and preserve the characteristic shine.
Can it be frozen?
It is not recommended to freeze the flan. Freezing alters the protein structure of the eggs and lactose, releasing water during thawing and leaving the dessert with a spongy and watery texture.
What to serve with
Serve sliced with the caramel sauce drizzled on top, accompanied by drip coffee without sugar or a short espresso. Fresh strawberry slices or lemon zest provide a pleasant citrus counterpoint.
Frequently asked questions
Why did the flan break when unmolding on the plate?
The flan was unmolded while still warm or without enough refrigerator time; the chilled resting period firms the gelatinous structure.
How to prevent the water in the bain-marie from drying out on the stove?
Keep the outer pot covered over low heat and top up with boiling water if the level decreases during the 35 minutes.
What should I do to prevent the aluminum pan from darkening in the water bath?
Add a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon slices to the water bath to prevent dark metal oxidation.
What is the difference between baking in the oven or on the stovetop?
On the stovetop, cooking is faster and more economical in a pan suitable for a water bath; in the oven the thermal distribution is smoother.
