Authentic Spanish Flan Recipe

Method11 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Place six 6-ounce ramekins in a sided 9×13-inch baking pan. Fill a kettle with the water for the bath and bring it to a boil. Bring the eggs and milk out of the refrigerator while you prepare the caramel, keeping their total time out of refrigeration under 2 hours, or under 1 hour above 32°C.

   Uses Water, enough to fill the baking pan halfway up the ramekin sides

2. 2

   Step 2: Put 200 g of the sugar (1 cup) in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Let it melt into a golden caramel, watching closely without stirring. The source guide is about 10 minutes; stop as soon as the colour is right.

   Uses 200 g granulated sugar (1 cup), for caramel

3. 3

   Step 3: Immediately take the golden caramel off the heat and divide it quickly among the six ramekins. If the caramel in the saucepan hardens before pouring, rewarm it just until fluid.

   Uses Golden caramel from the 200 g sugar draw

4. 4

   Step 4: Whisk all four eggs with the remaining 100 g sugar (½ cup) until creamy. Stir in the 2 cups whole milk and 2 tsp vanilla until evenly combined.

   Uses 4 large eggs · Remaining 100 g granulated sugar (½ cup), for custard · 2 cups whole milk · 2 tsp vanilla extract

5. 5

   Step 5: Divide the custard mixture evenly among the six caramel-lined ramekins. Cover each with foil and return them to the baking pan.

   Uses Six caramel-lined ramekins · Combined raw egg, milk and vanilla custard

6. 6

   Step 6: Carefully pour boiling water into the baking pan until it reaches halfway up the ramekin sides, keeping water out of the custards.

   Uses Six covered unbaked flans · Boiling kettle water for the external bath

7. 7

   Step 7: Bake in the water bath at 150°C (300°F), checking after 40 minutes. The source range is 40–60 minutes, depending on the moulds. Remove when the custards are just set with a slight jiggle and their centres reach 79°C (175°F); continue beyond the guide if they have not reached this endpoint.

   Check the baked flans · 40 minUses Six covered flans in the hot external water bath

8. 8

   Step 8: Lift the ramekins out of the hot water bath and let them cool briefly on a rack. Refrigerate promptly, within 2 hours of leaving the oven, or within 1 hour if the room is above 32°C. Keep them covered with foil.

   Uses Six cooked flans removed from the water bath

9. 9

   Step 9: Chill the covered flans at 4°C or colder for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, until fully cold and set.

   Chill and set the flans · 360 minUses Six cooled covered flans

10. 10

    Step 10: Run a butter knife gently around each chilled flan. Put a serving plate over the ramekin and invert it, then lift off the ramekin. Let the caramel sauce fall onto the plate and serve immediately.

    Uses Six chilled set flans with caramel

11. 11

    Step 11: Keep leftover flan tightly covered at 4°C or colder and use within 2 days. To freeze, place in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

    Uses Chilled flan kept for later