Flan de Vainilla

This Puerto Rican Flan de Vainilla (Vanilla Flan) is a rich, creamy custard dessert that you will not be able to resist with just one piece!

Latin Americans love their flan!

For example, in Puerto Rico, you will find flan on the dessert menu of most restaurants.

Although we have several variations of flan, Flan de Vainilla is our stable classic flan.

This decadent recipe is where all the other exceptional flans stem from.

Like Flan de Coco, Flan de Café and Flan de Calabaza.

Although this savory sweet flan is always enjoyed throughout the whole year, it is a dessert you will always find served throughout the holidays.

Just like Arroz con Dulce (Rice Pudding), Tembleque (Coconut Pudding), and Flan de Coco (Coconut Flan) are served, you are guaranteed to find this decadent Vanilla Flan as well.

You will never go wrong serving flan!

What is Flan?

Flan is a creamy and silky custard dessert topped with a deliciously 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.

Puerto Rican Flan Variations

Today, we make different flavors of flan. Some of the yummiest flans are:

• flan de café (coffee flan)
• flan de queso (cream cheese flan)
• flan de coco (coconut flan)
• flan de calabaza (pumpkin flan)
• flan de vainilla (vanilla flan)
• flan de guayaba (guava flan)

Ingredients

• evaporated milk
• condensed milk
• sugar
• vanilla extract
• eggs

Tools

Blender or a large bowl and a whisk.

Saucepan and wooden or plastic spoon.

2 molds– one for the flan and one for the water bath that the flan will sit in so make sure it is quite a bit larger than the flan mold.

How to Make Flan de Vainilla

• Preheat the oven to 350° degrees.

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Begin with the caramel sauce for the flan.

• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the sugar. Stir every few seconds with a wooden or plastic spoon.
• Once the sugar begins to melt, lower the heat. The sugar will get clumpy, this is normal. It will smooth out as it melts.

Note: Do not walk away from the sugar because it can quickly burn and you will have to restart the process all over again.

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• Once the sugar has COMPLETELY melted, carefully and quickly pour the caramel sauce into the mold you will be using for the flan before it hardens.

*Caution* Be careful when pouring the sugar into the mold, it is very hot and can cause a painful burn if it splatters.

• Swirl the pan to layer the sauce on the bottom of the pan.

• Have the larger mold ready that you will be using for the water bath (baño de Maria) for the flan.

Flan Mixture

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• Add the eggs, evaporated milk, condensed milk, and vanilla extract to a blender and blend until smooth.
• Pour the mixture to the flan mold and cover it with aluminum foil.

Note: You may notice that the sugar will make a crackle sound as you are pouring the mixture into the pan. This is normal.

• Place the flan mold inside the larger (water bath) mold. In other words, the flan mold will be sitting inside the water bath. (To see another example of this, take a look at our Flan de Coco (Coconut Flan) recipe.

• Add hot water to the larger mold. The water should come up the sides of the flan mold about half way.

• Carefully place the molds inside the oven and bake for 1 hour.

• After 1 hour, insert a toothpick in the center of the flan. If it comes out clean, the flan is done.

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• Remove the flan from the oven and then remove it from the water bath.

• Allow the flan to cool and set for one hour on the kitchen counter.

• After an hour, cover the flan with aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.

• After the flan has chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and run a batter spatula or knife along the edges of the pan to help loosen the flan.

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Serving Flan

• Invert a serving plate over the flan mold.
• Holding it tightly, quickly turn it over. (Use a plate or platter that has rimmed edges so that when you flip the flan over, the caramel sauce doesn’t pour off the sides.)
• Gently, shake the mold to release the flan.

Flan is ready to serve.

• Cut into individual slices to serve and top each serving with caramel sauce.

How Do I Make Flan Silkier?

This recipe calls for 5 eggs, but if you like your flan silkier than most, use four eggs instead of five.

How Do I Make Flan Firmer?

I prefer my flan slightly denser and firmer than silky, so five eggs are just perfect.

For even firmer flan, or a cheesecake like consistency, add one tablespoon of cornstarch to the blender when mixing the ingredients. *I used one tablespoon of cornstarch for this flan.

Can You Make Flan Ahead of Time?

Absolutely! As a matter of fact, with the holidays around the corner and all the dishes, we have to prepare, flan is a perfect dish to prepare in advance.

Make flan up to two days in advance.

Before serving, remove from the refrigerator and allow the flan to sit for 5-10 minutes.

Storing

Cover tightly with aluminum foil, saran wrap or store it in an airtight container.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Tips to Make the Best Flan de Vainilla

To make the best flan, here are a few tips to keep in mind.

• When making the caramel sauce, be patient when melting the sugar. Do not be tempted to turn up the heat. Patience is key. You want the sugar to have the perfect golden hue.
• Do not walk away while melting the sugar as it is prone to burn. If it burns, you will have to start all over again.
• Do not over-stir the sugar while it is melting or it will crystallize.
• If you like your flan silky, add 4 eggs instead of 5 eggs.
• If you are like me and prefer a denser flan, add one tablespoon of cornstarch to the blender when mixing all the ingredients.
• Do not overcook the flan or it will create a “skin” on top. As soon as the flan is cooked, remove it from the oven.
• Always use a water bath when making a flan.

More Delicious Puerto Rican Desserts

Pastelillos de Guayaba (Guava Pastries)

Limber de Leche (Frozen Milk Treat)

Limber de Oreo (Frozen Oreo Cookie Treat)