Spain / Latin America · Dessert · Medium

Flan

Rome's most famous pasta. Silky egg and Pecorino sauce clinging to every strand, studded with crisp guanciale. No cream, ever.

Prep 15 minsCook 60 minsServes 8

The whole recipe in 60 seconds

Flan, in 5 ideas

The water bath is mandatory. It keeps the heat gentle and even. Without it, the custard curdles and goes rubbery.
Strain the custard. Pouring through a fine mesh strainer catches chalazae and bubbles for a perfectly silky texture.
Amber, not dark. Pull the caramel when it is the color of honey. Darker tastes bitter, lighter tastes just sweet.
Overnight is better. Four hours minimum, but an overnight chill gives the cleanest slice and deepest flavor.
Commit to the flip. Hesitation is what causes breakage. One smooth confident inversion.

What you need

How to make it

Heat the oven to 350F. Have a 9 inch round cake pan and a larger roasting pan ready.
Make the caramel: combine the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Do not stir. Swirl the pan as the sugar melts and turns amber, about 8 minutes.
Immediately pour the caramel into the cake pan, tilting to coat the bottom evenly. It hardens fast, so work quickly.
Whisk the eggs, condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla, and salt until completely smooth. Pour through a strainer into the caramel-lined pan to catch any bits.
Set the pan inside the roasting pan. Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the cake pan.
Bake 55 to 65 minutes until the edges are set but the center still jiggles slightly.
Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
To serve, run a knife around the edge, place a platter on top, and flip in one confident motion. Lift the pan and let the caramel flow over.

Do not stir the caramel. Stirring makes sugar crystallize into grainy clumps. Swirl the pan gently and let the heat do the work.