Creamy Creme Caramel/Flan is the easiest dessert you can make with only a few ingredients: milk, eggs and sugar! The smooth creamy texture of this flan paired with a sweet caramel sauce is to die for! It is the perfect make-ahead dessert for any party, get-together or just as a special treat for you and your family any time!!
This is a repost of my earlier caramel custard dishes : Creme Caramel without condensed milk. I made a slight change in the recipe; used only 2 cups of milk and did not beat the mixture too much; hence the non porous texture of the flan (liked by many).
There are various debates as to which is the perfect flan; porous or non porous. Personally, I love the porous one. But today, I was in a mood to taste the creamy non porous one inspired by Homecookingadventure, and loved it too! This one is baked in an oven.
All you need is to make the caramel sauce, pour it into the baking pan (I have used a deep pyrex bowl about 6 inches in diameter) to set. Combine milk, eggs and sugar and pour over the caramel and bake in a preheated oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 45 minutes to 1 hour; chill, unmold and enjoy!
UPDATED DECEMBER 31, 2020, making in an Instant Pot):
Caramel custard is traditionally baked in an oven or sometimes steamed in a pressure cooker but with the advent of the electric pressure cooker called the Instant Pot, everyone is trying to make their custards in them, me including!
And what better time than to ring in the New Year 2021 with this decadent, scrumptious, melt in mouth and heavenly dessert made in my Instant Pot!
Instead of baking in an oven, I have pressure cooked in an instant pot. The end result was this creamy, silky, satiny smooth mouthful of deliciousness which has set perfectly.
My younger son whose favorite it is, just loved it as has my whole family!
So, you can bake it in oven, steam in a stove top pressure cooker or cook in an instant pot to make the perfect, delicious and decadent Caramel Custard/creamy creme caramel/flan at home!
Serve it for any special occasion, at gatherings or take away for a party! Everyone is going to love this luscious, easy to make dessert!
Time to head on to the kitchen and bake away or use your instant pot if you have! I assure you, you will love it too 🙂
For a caramel custard or flan with condensed milk, try my 4-Ingredient Caramel Custard with condensed milk.
Or, you can even try making a slightly denser but equally decadent Caramel Bread Pudding made in a steamer!
Lets make this scrumptious Creme Caramel shall we?
Smooth, creamy and silky caramel flan made with just a few ingredients like milk, eggs and sugar; classic and gourmet-like dessert made easy at home!
Ingredients
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 cups (500 ml) milk
- ¼ cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract/essence
Instructions
- Here I have used a 7-inch pan which fits into the instant pot (mine is a 6-quart Instant Pot Duo).
- In a saucepan, mix the sugar and water for the caramel.
- Heat on medium heat, scraping the sides often until the sugar starts to melt and caramelize.
- Once it turns amber brown or golden brown, remove from heat and pour into a baking pan about 6 to 7 inches in diameter. Swirl the pan to coat the bottom and a little bit of the sides with the caramel sauce.
- Keep aside to cool a little.
- Meanwhile, heat the milk in a saucepan until hot; do not let it boil (this is called scalding). Keep aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar using a whisk (you can use a hand blender too). Once the eggs and sugar are well incorporated, gently and slowly add the slightly cooled milk along with vanilla and whisk again.
- After making the custard mixture, pour over the set caramel. It is best to strain the mixture through a sieve.
- Meanwhile, add 1 1/2 cups of water to the inner pot of the instant pot and turn to saute mode.
- When the water starts to steam, place a trivet over it.
- Cover the custard pan with aluminum foil (poke some holes if needed to allow steam to escape; I did not) and place it on the trivet.
- Pressure cook on seal (high) for 14 minutes.
- Let the pressure drop naturally and then remove the pan from the inner pot.
- Cool slightly and then chill in refrigerator for at least 4 hours or best overnight.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit or 160 degrees Centigrade.
- In a saucepan, mix the sugar and water for the caramel. Heat on medium heat, scraping the sides often until the sugar starts to melt and caramelize. Once it turns amber brown or golden brown, remove from heat and pour into a baking pan about 6 to 7 inches in diameter. Swirl the pan to coat the bottom and a little bit of the sides with the caramel sauce.
- Keep aside to cool a little.
- Meanwhile, heat the milk in a saucepan until hot; do not let it boil (this is called scalding). Keep aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar with a whisk (you can use a hand blender too). Once the eggs and sugar are well incorporated, gently and slowly add the slightly cooled milk along with vanilla and whisk again.
- Pour the milk mixture into the caramel coated pan.
- Place the bowl into a large pan and fill the outer pan with hot water up to halfway up the sides of the bowl with the milk mixture.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour until a tooth pick inserted in the center of the custard comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or even overnight. Caramel custard is best served chilled.
- Just before serving, run a knife around the outer edges of the flan, place a large plate over the bowl and gently but quickly overturn and unmold the caramel custard flan onto the plate.
- Serve wedges of this heavenly dessert immediately; store leftovers (if any!) in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Enjoy!!
Notes
I used a 6 inch pan for the baked one and 7 inch for the instant pot version. The larger the pan, the thinner the flan.
For individual servings, bake in small glass bowls or ramekin bowls (1/2 cup each).
For a quicker method, blend the eggs, milk and sugar in a blender jar and pour over the caramel.
Do not overcook the caramel. If you do not keep an eye on it, the caramel can burn in seconds. And a slight burn will make for a bitter caramel.
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Have fun cooking, eating and sharing!!!
Looks yummy. I love custard.
Thanks so much 🙂
OMG I am drooling!!!!
Thank you so much:) It is one my favorite desserts to indulge in!
Good to be connected on wordpress. Loved the recipe & the flan looks amazing.
Thank you Vidya 🙂