Leche flan / Caramel pudding / Caramel custard (with video)

Written by: 7aumsuvai
Leche flan is also known as caramel pudding or caramel custard. It is a popular and delicious egg-based dessert in the Philippines, where it is served on special occasions. Creamy custard and sweet caramel on top that really tasted so rich and heavenly. It is traditionally served with whipped cream or honey.
leche flan / caramel pudding
Ingredients:
Serves 5 to 6
For making pudding /custard:
      • 5 no’s – Egg yolk
      • 1 cup – Milk (room temperature)
      • 1 cup – Condensed milk
      • 1 tsp – Vanilla essence
For making caramel:
      • 1/2 cup – Sugar
      • 1 tbsp – Water

leche flan  / caramel pudding
Preparation method:
Making of caramel:
  1. Choose a ceramic baking dish or ramekins to make it easier to invert the flan onto a plate. Use cooking spray or a little butter to grease the inside of the dish or ramekins. Keep it ready.
  2. Heat a pan, add sugar and a tbsp of water, mix well and allow it to slowly caramelize. Cook thoroughly until the solid sugar turns into caramel having a light brown color. Do not cook it for long time otherwise caramel may burn and tastes bitter.
  3. Pour the caramel into the baking dish or ramekins immediately. Tilt the dish you are using to coat the bottom evenly with caramel. After pouring, let the caramel stand for 10 minutes or more before you add the flan mixture.
Caramel pudding  / caramel pudding
leche flan / caramel pudding
leche flan  / caramel pudding
Making of leche flan / pudding:
  1. Separate the yolk from the egg white (only egg yolks are used in this recipe). Take a mixing bowl, add egg yolks and beat them nicely using a fork or an egg beater without any lumps.
  2. Stir together the condensed milk and mix thoroughly. Add milk and vanilla essence until they are thoroughly combined. The finished mixture should be light, fluffy and creamy. Filter the mixture using strainer to remove any lumps.
  3. Pour the mixture into the baking dish or ramekins. Then fill half of the baking pan with water. Water bath helps the flan to cook evenly and prevents it from cracking by creating a humid environment in the oven.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350 °F /180 °C, bake the leche flan for 40 to 45 minutes or until a tooth pick or skewer comes out clean. The flan is ready when the custard (your milk and egg mixture) has set. After the flan is ready, allow it to cool completely for about 10 minutes.
  5. Refrigerate the flan for 2 to 3 hours so it will firm up. This will make it much easier to unmold the flan. Run a knife around edges of the flan. Place a large, rimmed serving platter on top of the flan pan. Holding both the platter and the flan pan, carefully invert the flan onto the platter. Serve with whipped cream and honey, if desired.
Caramel pudding  / caramel pudding
leche flan  / caramel pudding
Notes:
  • Do not cook the caramel for a long time then the custard will taste bitter. So make the caramel carefully. When the sugar has melted, quickly pour it into the ramekins before it sets.
  • Make sure the water isn't so deep that it rises up the sides of the baking dish or ramekins. You don't want water to get into your flan.
  • Instead of baking the flan, you can also steam it. After pouring the flan mixture over the caramel, cover the baking dish or ramekins tightly with aluminum foil. Let the flan steam for 20 minutes, then refrigerate it to help it set.
  • Use room temperature ingredients. The condensed milk is easier to stir when not cold. The dish will cook faster and more evenly if the pudding mixture is at room temperature.
leche flan / caramel pudding

2 comments:

  1. I only shy away from making this because of the number of eggs the recipe calls for. Looks super. Love the colorful ramekins

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's true Anusha. I too hesitated to try this recipe because of too many eggs. Original recipe calls for 10 eggs but I reduced it to 5 eggs.

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