Smooth and Luscious Leche Flan
Leche Flan is the Filipino counterpart of custards. The sweet and slightly bitter caramel sauce perfectly offsets the silky texture of the flan.
Ingredients
For the Caramel Sauce:
- 220 grams 1 cup sugar
- 60 ml water 1/4 cup
- 180 ml 3/4 cup water, hot
For the Flan:
- 10 egg yolks or 5 whole eggs, large
- 1 14 oz can evaporated milk
- 1 12 oz can condensed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp lime juice optional
- For Steaming:
- 4 cups 960 ml water, hot
Instructions
For the Caramel Sauce:
- In a small saucepan, mix the sugar and the 1/4 cup of water.
- Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved.
- Once the sugar has dissolved, lower the heat and continue to simmer while gently tilting the pan from side to side. Do not stir.
- Remove from the heat once the mixture turns amber in color.
- Carefully add the boiling water to thin out the sauce. The mixture may splatter so use some oven mitts to protect your hands. Stir until combined.
- Pour onto the llaneras (molds). Set aside to cool.
For the Flan:
- In a bowl, gently mix the yolks, evaporated milk, condensed milk, and vanilla syrup. Add the lime juice if using. Do not beat the mixture; rather, move your whisk around the bowl until the mixture is combined.
- Strain the flan mixture and pouring onto the prepared llaneras (molds). Cover with aluminum foil.
- Steam the flan for 30-40 minutes. Check the flan for doneness at the 30-minute mark. The flan is ready when the mixture is set and doesn’t wobble. There are 2 options for cooking the flan. Steaming, stovetop: In a deep enough pan or using a steamer, pour 1 cup of water at the bottom. Arrange the molds over the water. Cover the casserole or steamer. Steam the flan over high heat. Add more water as needed. Steaming, oven: Pre-heat the oven to 350F (180C). Arrange the molds on a large baking dish. Pour water until halfway up the baking dish. Put inside the oven and steam the flan. Add water as needed.
Video
Notes
Sugar burns easily. Watch out and remove the sugar from the heat as soon as the light amber color is reached. It will continue to cook even after removing from heat.
Once the sugar is dissolved in the water, do not stir. Tilt from side to side or swirl your saucepan while cooking the caramel. This way, you avoid uncooked sugar sticking to your spatula or saucepan.
Use boiling water to thin out the caramel. Cold water will cause your sauce to “seize” and harden.
Be careful when adding the water as this causes the sauce to splash. Wear oven mitts to protect your hands if possible.
Do not beat the egg yolks. Gently swirl your whisk to break up the egg yolks and mix the other ingredients.
After pouring the hot caramel syrup onto the molds, set them aside to cool before adding the egg mixture.
Strain the egg mixture. It removes the stringy egg particles and ensures a velvety texture.
Don’t anyhow pour the egg mixture onto the molds. Our goal is to have less bubbles.
Check the leche flan after around 30 minutes of steaming. Cooking it longer produces a firmer leche flan. So long as the flan is set and doesn’t wobble, you’re good to go.
Once the sugar is dissolved in the water, do not stir. Tilt from side to side or swirl your saucepan while cooking the caramel. This way, you avoid uncooked sugar sticking to your spatula or saucepan.
Use boiling water to thin out the caramel. Cold water will cause your sauce to “seize” and harden.
Be careful when adding the water as this causes the sauce to splash. Wear oven mitts to protect your hands if possible.
Do not beat the egg yolks. Gently swirl your whisk to break up the egg yolks and mix the other ingredients.
After pouring the hot caramel syrup onto the molds, set them aside to cool before adding the egg mixture.
Strain the egg mixture. It removes the stringy egg particles and ensures a velvety texture.
Don’t anyhow pour the egg mixture onto the molds. Our goal is to have less bubbles.
Check the leche flan after around 30 minutes of steaming. Cooking it longer produces a firmer leche flan. So long as the flan is set and doesn’t wobble, you’re good to go.