Make this savory, sweet, decadent Flan de Coco (Coconut Flan) dessert, for your family, next family gathering, or any other special occasion that may arise! A dessert that is sure to impress and everyone will love!
Coconut flan is a delicious creamy mouthwatering dessert made with a handful of simple ingredients and best of all, it can be prepped in no time!
This incredible dessert, can be enjoyed anytime and just perfect on special occasions.
Its simplicity and impressive appearance will have everyone thinking you spent hours in the kitchen making it!
What is Flan?
Flan is a creamy and smooth dessert with a silky texture. It is a caramel custardy dessert, surrounded and topped with a simple caramel sauce.
The basic ingredients for flan consist of milk or/and cream, eggs and sugar. The flan is then baked in a water bath ( baño de maria) and chilled before serving.
Once chilled, it is then inverted onto a serving platter and cut into individual servings.
Are there Different Types of Flan?
There are many variations on the classic caramel flan.
Some popular ones include:
- Vanilla Flan–Flan de Vainilla
- Cheese Flan-Flan de Queso
- Pumpkin Flan–Flan de Calabaza
- Coffee Flan–Flan de Cafe
- Condensed Milk Flan-Flan de Leche Codensada
- Chocolate Flan-Flan de Chocolate
- Flancocho (Vanilla Flan Cake)
Where is Flan Eaten?
Flan is enjoyed throughout all of Latin America, Europe and even certain places in Asia.
Although the basic ingredients are the same or similar, every culture and home has their own take on it.
For example, some cultures add more or less eggs, different types of milk, amount of sugar, flavorings, toppings, etc.
As flan has been around for centuries, it has allowed enough time for different countries to put their own twist and fingerprint on this classic dessert.
Puerto Rican Flan
Like other versions of flan, Puerto Rican Flan is made using the same basic ingredients, milk, eggs and sugar.
However, for flan de coco, we will be using coconut milk, cream of coconut and condensed milk to produce this traditional Puerto Rican Flan de Coco.
So if you love coconut, this Puerto Rican Flan de Coco will certainly have you craving a second piece!
It has the perfect hint of coconut flavor without being overbearing, overwhelming or too sweet.
You will just love it!
Ingredients for Flan de Coco
- coconut milk
- cream of coconut
- condensed milk
- eggs
- sugar
- vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
How to Make Flan de Coco (Coconut Flan)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add the granulated sugar to a saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly until melted and golden brown.
Note: As sugar is melting, you will start to see it clump up a little. This is normal. Continue stirring until fully melted.
- Once the sugar has melted, working quickly and carefully, pour it into the mold you will be using to make the flan.
- Swirl the melted sugar around the bottom and sides of the pan to coat.
- Set pan aside for a few minutes for the sugar to harden some.
- Combine the coconut milk, condensed milk and cream of coconut into a blender.
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Blend well.
Prepare the Water Bath (baño de Maria)
- Prepare a water bath by adding water to a larger pan with hot water a quarter of the way.
- Place the sugar glazed flan pan inside of the water bath pan as shown above.
- Pour the flan mixture through a small colander into pan.
- Bake the flan for 1 hour to 1 ½ hours or until a table knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
*It is not necessary to use a colander to pour mixture, however, it does help to trap any small egg contents that may not have blended well.
*You may also notice that the sugar will make a crackle sound as you are pouring the mixture into the pan, this is normal.
- Remove flan from the oven and water bath.
- Allow to cool for an hour on countertop.
- After an hour, cover the flan with aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours.
- After the flan has chilled, remove from the refrigerator and run a knife along the edges of pan to help loosen the flan.
- Invert a serving plate over the pan, hold tightly and quickly turn over. Gently, shake the mold to release the flan.
Flan is ready to serve!
Serve flan as is or garnish with coconut flakes, powdered coconut, powdered sugar, whipped cream or whatever toppings you would like.
Slice flan into individual servings and top with some caramel sauce. Yummy!
Can You Make Flan de Coco Ahead of Time?
Yes you can!
Whether you are making flan for your family or a special occasion, make sure to allow plenty of time to cook the flan, and allow flan to sit and then chill. It is important to allow at least 4 hours and even better overnight.
How to Save Leftover Flan
If you are lucky and have any flan leftover, simply cover or place in an airtight container and save in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Other Dessert Ideas
Pastelillos de Guayaba (Guava Pastries)
Fresas con Crema (Strawberries and Cream)
Quesitos (Cream Cheese Puff Pastry)
Mantecaditos (Shortbread Cookies)
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📖 Recipe
Flan de Coco (Coconut Flan)
Ingredients
- 1 13.5 oz coconut milk
- 1 14 oz condensed milk
- 1 15 oz cream of coconut
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 5 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add the granulated sugar to a saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly until melted and golden brown.
- Once the sugar has melted, working quickly and carefully, pour it into an 8-inch oven-safe mold.Swirl the melted sugar around the bottom and sides of the pan to coat. Set the pan aside for a few minutes for the sugar to harden some.
- Combine the coconut milk, condensed milk and cream of coconut into a blender.
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Blend well.
- Prepare a water bath by adding water to a larger pan with hot water a quarter of the way.
- Place the sugar glazed flan pan inside of the water bath pan.Pour the flan mixture through a small colander into pan. Using a colander helps trap any small egg contents that may not have blended well but is not necessary.You will also notice that the sugar will make a crackle sound as you are pouring the mixture into the pan, this is normal.
- Bake the flan for 1 hour to 1 ½ hours or until a table knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove flan from the oven and water bath.Allow the flan to cool for an hour on countertop.
- After an hour, cover the flan with aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours.
- After the flan has chilled, remove from the refrigerator and run a knife along the edges of pan to help loosen the flan.
- Invert a serving plate over the pan, hold tightly and quickly turn over. Gently, shake the mold to release the flan.Flan is ready to serve!
- You can serve flan de coco as is or garnish with coconut flakes, powdered coconut, powdered sugar, whipped cream or whatever other toppings you would like.
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