Do you like flan?… I absolutely love it! It’s been my favorite dessert since childhood and I’ve always been so curious about how it’s made.

If you don’t know what FLAN is, it’s a sweet & creamy custard that’s made with eggs & milk… and it. is. divine. 

I stumbled on this delicious recipe last November when one of my aunts shared it on Facebook. It caught my attention because I was pondering what desserts to make for Thanksgiving… and when I saw this flan, it just made perfect sense!

I had never attempted to make flan before so it was long overdue – especially since I’m on a mission to fill my life with all the things I love; and learning how to make it myself is a part of the process that helps me enjoy life even more.

The recipe seemed easy enough so I tested it out on Thanksgiving Day and the flan came out PERFECTLY. It was, honestly, the best flan I had ever tasted!

You know how some flans are thick and heavy? Or when you’re done eating it, you can’t move? Well, this flan isn’t like that. It has the texture that I love – a soft custard that melts in your mouth – with just the right amount of sweetness to satisfy your sweet tooth. It’s sooooo good!

I’ve made it a few times since Thanksgiving and it’s always gone in a flash. So having learned that the original recipe never yields enough for us, I always double it whenever I make it now.

Last night I had the opportunity to make it again when my mom, dad, sister, and brother all came over to spend the evening at my house. We all try our best to get together at least once a week – that way my kids get to spend time with their grandparents, aunt, and uncle on a regular basis. And I also get some much needed time to catch up with my mom, dad, and my siblings.

Family time is treasured time… and I’m always so glad when we get the opportunity to sit around and talk, sing worship songs,  eat together, and laugh with one another. I truly cherish these family-date-nights and  I look forward to it all week long.

Usually we’re all so exhausted at the end of the week that we order-in or make a quick and simple meal, but not this week! Ash had the day off so I took full advantage of that and made a Thai-inspired, Coconut Curry & Lime Shrimp Soup… and we made FLAN as our dessert.

I tried my best to snap some pictures of us making the flan to show you all how easy it is to make & how delectable it looks when it’s finished baking! It tastes as good as it looks, believe me…

Step 1:
Turn on your oven to 330 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2:
On your stovetop, turn your flame to a medium heat and allow 2 cups of sugar  & 1 cup of water to caramelize. Do not stir, but carefully swirl the syrup around every five minutes or so until it resembles a caramel-like color.

Step 3:
Crack your eggs and put them in a large mixing bowl. You’ll need 8 eggs.

Step 4:
Take two 14 ounce cans of condensed milk & pour it into the bowl with the eggs.

Step 5:
Measure your vanilla extract (2 teaspoons). Pour it right into the bowl with the eggs and condensed milk.

Step 6: – Pour 20 ounces of warm water into the bowl as well. (Not pictured… oops!)

Whip everything in the large bowl together until all the ingredients are well-mixed.

Kari wanted to help us… and we jumped at the opportunity to let her help. I love it when my kids get involved and show interest in cooking and cleaning and all the other everyday tasks that we do as parents. This is how they learn and get comfortable with one day doing it themselves!

Step 7:
By now, the sugar and water should have caramelized. Pour it into the bottom of your baking pans. I used THREE 6-inch round baking pans for this recipe. 

Step 8: Pour your egg mixture into the baking pans, directly on top of the caramelized sugar.

Step 9: Get 3 other baking pans that are large enough so your flans’ baking pans can sit in them; and then fill the larger pans about halfway with warm water. This will become the bath your flans’ pans will sit in while baking.

Each flan sits in a water bath to ensure even heating and texture throughout. Make sure to have a separate baking pan for each flan to sit in while baking. I made 3 flans so I used 3 round baking pans for my flan mixture itself and three 8 inch square pans for the flan pans to sit in during the baking process.

Step 10: Place your flans into the 330 degrees Fahrenheit oven & bake for 50-55 minutes.

Keep an eye on it to make sure its fully set. It should jiggle like jello without a soft center. If the center looks wobbly or softer than the surrounding areas, let it cook a little while longer. It should have an even texture on the top like the picture below.

Step 11: When it’s done baking, and you’ve taken it out of the oven, allow it to cool for about an hour. After its cool enough to handle, place the pans in the refrigerator  for an additional 2+ hours.

…And when you can’t wait any longer, take a butter knife & loosen the edges of the flan. Then place a plate (top side down) on top of the baking pan and flip your flan so it lands on your plate.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

You can find the original recipe and directions here. 

Love Always,
Karina ♥

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