This flan recipe has been made at home for as long as I can remember.
Flan, also known as caramel custard or caramel flan, is a traditional Spanish dessert my grandmother taught me how to make many years ago.
Grandma´s Flan Recipe
My grandmother used to make all kinds of flan recipes: with condensed milk, with coffee…. However, a flan recipe she almost always made was this traditional one made with eggs, milk and sugar.
Every summer, when I was a kid, I used to go with my siblings to our family house in the countryside. In that place surrounded by nature, I spent my happiest summers … and the food… mmmmm… that was good quality food.
We used to help our grandmother Margarita to collect eggs from the hen house. Our mission was to find as many as we could and give them to her. The feeling of finding eggs, especially the most hidden ones, was very similar to finding treasures. It was a lot of fun.
Imagine what delicious homemade flans came out of those fresh eggs!
What is Flan?
Flan is egg custard baked in water bath and topped with caramel sauce, and it is a very popular dessert in Spain. Also, it is very easy to make since you only need basic ingredients to prepare it. There are other delicious flan variations made with coffee, cream cheese, vanilla extract or with sweetened condensed milk.
The Origin of this Flan Recipe
Flan dates back to the time of the Roman Empire, when they started raising chickens and adding eggs into their recipes. In ancient Rome, Flan was a famous dessert made by combining eggs and fresh milk and sweetened with honey from various flowers. However, it was in the early Middle Ages in Spain when we began using the ingredients used in the original recipe today: eggs, milk and sugar.
The term flan first appeared in the 7th century. The word flan is derived from French flan, which is derived from Old French flaon, which is derived from Medieval Latin fladonem, which is derived from the Old High German flado, a type of flat cake. It quickly became popular in many countries, including Spain, with new variations emerging from the original recipe of eggs, milk, and sugar.
What Flan Mold Should I Use For This Recipe?
When there are more than 6 of us at the table, I use a large flan mold. However, I use 6 individual flaneras (flan ramekins) when making this easy flan recipe. It is critical that molds have no scratches, dents, and are completely clean and rust-free.
Authentic Spanish Flan Recipe
All current variations of flan derive from this classic recipe, which is made by mixing three basic ingredients: eggs, milk and sugar. The mixture is poured into caramelized molds and then prepared in a bain-marie. And that’s all you need to make this delicious classic custard dessert!
Eggs: fresh and at room temperature.
Milk: fresh and at room temperature.
Sugar: granulated sugar.
It may seem simple to make, but keep in mind that if air bubbles appear in the texture of the flan, it is not well done. Don’t worry, I’ll explain a simple trick to prevent this from happening to you.
How to Make Spanish Flan
1. Preheat the oven to 356°F ( 180°C ).
Caramel Sauce
2. In a saucepan, add two tablespoons of granulated sugar and a teaspoon of water over high heat. Do not stir it neither with wooden spoons nor metal spoons, just gently shake and tilt the saucepan until the sugar combines well and browns evenly.
3. As soon as it is golden brown, remove the caramel from the heat and pour it in 6 flan ramekins, tilting and turning each one to evenly coat the bottom and sides. Be very careful with the caramel because it burns a lot!
Egg Custard
4. In a large mixing bowl, stir 6 eggs with a fork or a whisk on low speed. Tip: To achieve a soft silky flan texture without air bubbles, it is essential not to beat the mixture. When beating, air is incorporated into the mixture and, as a result, bubbles appear.
5. Add in 2⅓ cups of whole milk and 1¼ cup of granulated sugar. Keep stirring on low speed until well combined. Tip: This traditional Spanish flan recipe is made only with eggs, milk and sugar. If desired, you can add in a tablespoon of vanilla extract to enhance the flavor; however, that would be another version based on this original recipe.
6. Pour egg mixture into the previously caramelized flaneras. Tip: pass the mixture through a sieve to get rid of lumps and bubbles.
Bain-Marie
7. Now its time to bake the custard in water bath. Place the ramekins inside a glass baking dish and fill it with enough boiling water to reach halfway up sides of the flaneras. Then, cover each one of them with aluminum foil. In case you use a large flan mold, cover it with the lid that comes with it. Tip: other way to prepare the bain-marie is by leaving the baking dish, filled with less than halfway up of water, in the oven when preheating.
8. Bake for 35 minutes. Make sure flans are done by pricking a needle. If it comes out stained, leave them a few more minutes. If it comes out clean, your flans are done.
Chilling Time
9. Allow them to cool to room temperature for about ten minutes before putting them in the refrigerator. The chilling time is 3 hours.
10. Before serving, unmold them by first carefully running a knife around the edge of the ramekin. Then, place a plate on top and turn each flanera upside down. Et voilà... you have made a delicious flan that will take you back to your childhood!
More Traditional Custard Desserts
If you are fond of custard-type desserts, you can also try these delicious traditional custard recipes.
Crema Catalana: This traditional Spanish dessert, also known as burnt cream, is characterized by its citrus and cinnamon aroma and its crunchy caramelized crust.
Crème Brûlée: This traditional French dessert literally means burnt (brûlée ) cream (crème). It belongs to the same family as the Spanish burnt cream, crema catalana, since both are desserts that consist of a custard base topped with burnt sugar.
Spanish Custard (Natillas): This Spanish custard is one of the many desserts that my grandmother used to make for us. That´s why it reminds me of my childhood whenever I eat it!
And if you love this Spanish flan recipe, I invite you to try these other traditional Spanish dessert recipes.
Spanish Flan Recipe
This traditional Spanish flan recipe is made with three basic ingredients:eggs, milk and sugar.
In a saucepan, add sugar and water over high heat. Gently shake and tilt the saucepan until the sugar mixes well and browns evenly. As soon as it is golden brown, remove it from the heat and pour it in the 6 mini flaneras, or flan ramekins.
Egg Custard
In a bowl, stir 6 eggs with a fork or a whisk on low speed.
Add in milk and sugar to the egg mixture. Keep stirring on low speed until combined.
Pour the mixture into the previously caramelized flaneras.
Bain-Marie
Place the flan ramekins in a glass baking dish and fill it with enough boiling water to reach halfway up sides of the flaneras.
Cover them with aluminum foil.
Bake for 35 minutes.
Chilling Time
Allow them to cool to room temperature for about ten minutes before putting them in the refrigerator. The chilling time is 3 hours.
Before serving, unmold them with the help of a knife. Place a plate on top and turn each flanera upside down. Et voilà... you have made a delicious flan that will take you back to your childhood!
This arroz con leche recipe has been passed down from generation to generation in my family!
When I was little I used to help my grandmother prepare arroz con leche for the whole family. I recall the delight on our faces as we ate this sweet treat.
Today, a spoonful of creamy rice pudding with a pinch of ground cinnamon on top still takes me back to my childhood, no matter where or when I eat it!
That’s why I’m going to share with you this arroz con leche recipe with special affection.
What is Arroz con Leche?
Arroz con leche, which means “rice with milk” in Spanish, is a popular dessert dish that is enjoyed in many countries around the world. The exact origins of arroz con leche are unclear, but it is believed to have originated in Spain during the Moorish occupation in the Middle Ages, when rice was introduced to the country by the Moors.
This sweet delicacy is made with rice, milk, and sugar, often topped with cinnamon.
Chefs from all over the world add their own flair to it; that’s what makes it so special. In this case, we will prepare this dessert the traditional way.
What Rice is Best for Arroz con Leche?
I use short-grain rice, also known as pearl rice or glutinous rice, to make a creamy arroz con leche. This rice has a high starch content, which releases from the grain when cooked, adding creaminess to your rice pudding. The brand I use is SOS postres.
With its creamy texture and comforting taste, this Spanish rice pudding will quickly become one of the family favorites! On my dessert list, it is in the top 3 without a doubt. And I have a feeling it’s on my children’s list too.
Once you’ve finished preparing this easy recipe for arroz con leche without condensed milk, it’s time to serve it to your loved ones! You will see, the moment they put the spoon in their mouths, they will not be able to do anything else but…. mmmmmmmm….
How to Make Creamy Arroz con Leche
This recipe is explained step by step so that your arroz con leche comes out delicious the first time! However, don’t get discouraged if the first time it doesn’t come out as expected. Persist, be patient and you will see how eventually you will make a creamy arroz con leche.
I hope you end up loving this Spanish rice pudding as much as we all do at home!
Arroz con Leche Recipe: Step by Step
1. In a cooking high pot (without turning on the heat yet), add 6 cups of whole milk, 1⅓ tablespoon of butter, one cinnamon stick, a lemon peel and ½ cup of rice.
Tips for this 1st step:
When peeling the lemon, make sure to avoid the white part right under the skin since it has a bitter taste. For this, I recommend using a vegetable peeler.
Use a cinnamon stick, not ground cinnamon.
2. Stir with a wooden spoon for 10 minutes over high heat ( level 9 on glass-ceramic ).
3. Reduce heat to medium ( level 4 on glass-ceramic ), stop stirring and let the rice with milk cook for 15 minutes.
4 . Then, add ¾ cup of sugar into the rice with milk mixture and stir again for 5 more minutes!
Tips for this 4th step:
One last stirring effort! In this step you have to stir well to keep sugar from sticking.
At this step the mixture starts to thicken. Don’t worry if you see it a little runny, the rice will thicken as it cools. If you keep cooking until it thickens as desired, the rice may harden.
5. Pour the mixture into a bowl. Remove cinnamon stick and lemon peel.
6. Allow your arroz con leche to cool to room temperature for 20 minutes and then put it to chill in the refrigerator.
Tips for this 6th step:
During resting time, rice thickens as it cools. Then, you can serve it.
If it is stored in the refrigerator, I recommend you taking it out a few minutes before serving so that your guests can savor its creaminess.
7. Et voilà! You have made a delicious Spanish arroz con leche!
If Your Spanish Rice Pudding Is A Little Liquid, Here’s How to Make It Creamy
Don’t worry if your rice pudding comes out a little runny. First, let it sit at room temperature and then taste it. Keep in mind that it will thicken as it cools. If it’s a little too runny, you can pour it back into the pot and cook it over low-medium heat for a few more minutes. It may only need 5 to 10 minutes more.
If you are preparing this dessert for a dinner party, I recommend that you make it in the morning. Every diner can sprinkle a little cinnamon powder to their portion to taste. It can be served chilled or warm.
In a cooking high pot (without turning on the heat yet), add 6 cups of whole milk, 1⅓ tablespoon of butter, one cinnamon stick, a lemon peel and ½ cup of pearl rice.
Stir with a wooden spoon for 10 minutes over high heat.
Reduce heat to medium, stop stirring and let the rice with milk cook for 15 minutes.
Add in ¾ cup of sugar and stir again for 5 more minutes.
Pour rice pudding into a bowl. Remove lemon peel and cinnamon stick.
Allow your arroz con leche to cool to room temperature for 20 minutes and then put it to chill in the refrigerator.
Et voilà! You have just made a Spanish arroz con leche!
You will love this flan recipe with condensed milk!
Victor and I share the same passion for homemade desserts! Both of us have been lucky enough to be part of large families where there is a good eating culture ; although , when the food is on the table you have to be fast enough to get your share 🙂
In our homes, desserts occupy an important place in the daily menu. Dessert is the last course ; however, it plays an important role in closing the meal in the best possible way. That´s why we always make them with great care and affection.
When Victor was little, he loved flan. As soon as he woke up, he had caramel flan for breakfast, for lunch and… for dinner! If it weren’t for his mother, I think, Victor would have only eaten flan!
What is Flan?
Flan is a popular Spanish dessert that is made with eggs, sugar, and milk. There are also delicious flan variations, such as those made with coffee, cream cheese, vanilla extract, or this one with condensed milk. Traditionally, this custard dessert is topped with caramel and baked in a water bath.
A natural step for Victor was for him to learn how to make a flan.… so he could eat as many as he wanted; thus, his grandmother gave him her recipe as a present.
According to his little sister, one of the happiest memories of her childhood was when Victor made this flan for dessert: “His flans used to come out delicious, I still remember how smooth was the texture”.
Flan Ingredients
This flan with condensed milk recipe requires only four simple ingredients. Look at the printable recipe card below for exact amounts.
Sweetened condensed milk: In Spain, a small container/can of condensed milk weighs 370 grams, so we use that amount in this recipe. If your favorite brand does not have these measurements, for example, it is a 300-gram container, you can buy two to get 370 grams, or you can remove one egg from your recipe and use the 300-gram container/can as a measure.
Eggs: I use fresh eggs at room temperature. Some people use more yolks than whites, or just yolks, to make a denser flan. If this is the case, I invite you to take this recipe a step further by using 4 egg yolks instead of 4 whole eggs, and using twice as much condensed milk (740 grams) as whole milk (600ml). You’ll be amazed at the end result! The making process is the same but you no longer need to fold the egg whites into yolks. And the flan is baked in a bain-marie for about 3 hours at 392°F (200°C).
Milk: I use fresh whole milk at room temperature to make a rich and creamy flan custard.
Sugar: I use granulated sugar to make the caramel sauce; you won’t need to add it to the custard because it’s already in the sweetened condensed milk.
How to Make Flan with Condensed Milk
1. Preheat the oven to 356°F ( 180°C ).
2.Prepare the bain-marie as follows: Fill a baking dish with water, one-third full, and allow the water to heat in the oven when it is preheating.
Caramel Sauce
3. In a saucepan, add 125 grams of sugar and a teaspoon of water over high heat. Do not stir the sugar neither with wooden spoons nor metal spoons; just gently shake and tilt the saucepan until the sugar mixes well and browns evenly. As soon as it is golden brown, remove it from the heat and pour it in a large mold, or flanera. Set aside.
Flan Custard
4. In a large mixing bowl, pour 370 grams (one container/can) of sweetened condensed milk. Use the same empty can as a measure, fill it up with whole milk and pour into the same bowl. Stir with a spatula until mixture is combined.
5. Separate 4 egg yolks from 4 egg whites.
6. In a separate bowl, add 4 egg yolks and whisk with a fork.
7. Add the egg yolks into the milk mixture and stir well with the spatula, or a whisk, until combined. Set aside.
8. Beat the egg whites until stiff with a hand held mixer on high speed.
9. When the egg whites are stiff, fold into the yolk mixture. How? With the help of a spatula, gradually add the whites into the yolks and gently mix with folding movements ( a bottom-to-top and top-to-bottom motion ) until well combined.
10. Pour the mixture into the previously caramelized flan mold (flanera). Tip: pass the mixture through a strainer while pouring it into the flanera to get rid of lumps and bubbles.
Bain-Marie
11. Cover the flan mold with the lid and place it into the bain-marie you have already prepared in the oven. Close the oven door and bake for 50 minutes. Make sure it is done by pricking a needle. If it comes out stained, leave it a few more minutes. If it comes out clean, it is ready. Tip: Another way to make the bain-marie is, just before baking, to fill the dish with boiling water until it reaches halfway up the flan mold.
Chilling Time
12. Allow it to cool for about ten minutes to room temperature before putting it in the refrigerator. The chilling time is 3 hours.
13. Before serving, unmold it by first carefully running a knife around the edge of the mold. Then, place a plate on top and turn the flanera upside down. Et voilà... you have made a delicious flan that will take you back to your childhood!
More Recipes With Condensed Milk
If you loved this easy flan recipe with condensed milk, don’t miss these other delicious dessert recipes with condensed milk!
Lemon Mousse: This lemon mousse with condensed milk is a fresh and creamy dessert perfect for the summer season!
Chocolate Truffles: These sweet balls made of dark chocolate and condensed milk are the perfect finishing touch to any special meal.
Philadelphia Cheesecake: This Philadelphia no bake cheesecakeis definitely one of my favorites! It is super creamy and very easy to make.
Lemon Meringue Pie: When life gives you lemons, make a lemon meringue pie! Its creaminess, crunchy base and lemon flavor makes this pie recipe irresistible.
Fill a large baking dish halfway with water and allow the water to heat up.
Caramel Sauce
In a saucepan, add 125 grams of sugar and a teaspoon of water over high heat. As soon as it is golden brown, remove it from the heat and pour it in a large flan mold, or flanera. Set aside.
Custard
In a bowl, pour condensed milk. Use the same empty can as a measure and add 1 container of whole milk into the same bowl. Stir with a spatula until mixture is combined.
Separate 4 egg yolks from 4 egg whites.
In a separate bowl, add 4 egg yolks and whisk with a fork.
Add the egg yolks into the milk mixture and stir well with the spatula, or a whisk, until everything is well integrated. Set aside.
Beat the egg whites until stiff with a hand held mixer on high speed.
When the egg whites are stiff, fold into the yolk mixture.With the help of a spatula, gradually add the whites into the yolks and gently mix with folding movements until well combined.
Pour the mixture into the previously caramelized flanera.
Bain-Marie
Cover the flan mold with the lid and place it into the bain-marie you have already prepared in the oven.
Bake for 50 minutes.
If the needle comes out stained, leave it a few more minutes. If it comes out clean, it is ready.
Chilling Time
Allow it to cool for about ten minutes to room temperature before putting it in the refrigerator. The chilling time is 3 hours.
Before serving, unmold the flan by first carefully running a knife around the edge of the mold. Then, place a plate on top and turn the flanera upside down. Et voilà... you have made a flan that will take you back to your childhood
One of my favourite cakesin our recipe book is this birthday cake with dulce de leche.
We all like to taste over and over again those flavors that remind us of our childhood.
When you come across with a dessert that you liked so much in your childhood, you start to eat it with calmness and self-control, but you see that for some strange reason you lose that apparent control and you can’t stop eating … until you get sick of it! Then you rest for a while … you even think you’ll never try it again … but after a while you get back on track. This has happened to me sooooo many times!
And it’s the same for Victor with dulce de leche. He is capable of eating a whole pot in one day; furthermore, he eats it in every possible way: crepes with dulce de leche, dulce de leche cake, dulce de leche ice cream and so on…
When eating dulce de leche, the moment he likes most is when dulce de leche curls up on his spoon.
Birthday Cake with Dulce de Leche
Can you imagine a giant alfajor? Well, that’s the image Victor always pictures this birthday cake with.When you taste the texture of it´s different layers at the same time, sponge cake and dulce de leche, it is impossible to leave a crumb on the plate!
It’s the perfect cake for birthdays!
Happy birth… mmmmmm. This cake will challenge all guests at your birthday party when it’s their turn to sing or congratulate without having their mouth full of cake. Well… maybe I exaggerate a bit… but I’m sure it won´t let you down. Furthermore, as you make this cake for more birthday parties or other events, you can customize the presentation of the cake to your liking.
How To Make Birthday Cake with Dulce de Leche
1. Preheat the oven to 356°F ( 180°C ).
Sponge Cake
2. Separate 4 egg yolks from 4 egg whites in two different bowls. Set aside the egg whites. Preferably eggs must be at room temperature.
3. Add 200 grams of sugar into the yolks, and beat with a hand held mixer until the yolks whiten and the sugar has dissolved.
4. Gradually add the sunflower oil into the yolks while whisking with handheld on medium speed, until the mixture absorbs the oil.
5. With two oranges, grate the peel of one orange and set aside it´s zest; then, squeeze the two oranges to make juice, and add it little by little into the yolk mixture with the handheld on medium speed until combined.
When wet ingredients are well mixed, it´s time to add dry ingredients.
6. In a third bowl, mix 250 grams of flour, a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of baking powder. Add a third of this mixture to the strainer, sift over the yolk mixture by gently tapping the sieve. At the same time, keep beating with the hand mixer on medium speed. Repeat this process three times until no lumps are formed.
7. Add the grated orange zest into the batter, and whisk on medium speed.
8. It’s time for the egg whites! Wash well the wire beaters to avoid mix any trace of egg yolk with egg white. Beat the egg whites until they are stiff peaks, and then add into the batter with a spatula making folding movements from bottom to top.
9. Pour the batter into a 8 inch cake pan. The pan has previously been buttered and floured so that the batter does not stick. Another option is to line the cake pan with parchment paper.
10. Bake for 45 minutes. I recommend you not to open the oven door during this time. When the time is up insert a cake tester (or a knife) into the center of the sponge cake to check whether it is done. If the tester comes out clean it is ready. If it comes out stained or wet, leave it for 5-10 minutes more.
Assembly
11. When the cake is ready, unmold it and let it cool on a wire rack. When it has completely cooled, cut it into three parts and fill each layer with dulce de leche. Be generous with the dulce de leche, each layer will give the cake its juiciness.
12. Now it’s time to cover the cake. Whip together 500 ml of heavy whipping cream and 150 grams of sugar with the hand held mixer until soft peaks. Then, cover the cake with the whipped cream… Et voilà! You have made a delicious birthday cake with dulce de leche.
Separate 4 egg yolks from 4 egg whites in two different bowls. Set aside the egg whites.
Gradually add the sunflower oil into the yolks while whisking with handheld on medium speed, until the mixture absorbs the oil.
Now gradually add the sunflower oil to the yolks while whisking with hand mixer at medium speed.
With two oranges, grate the peel of one orange and set aside it´s zest; then, squeeze the two oranges to make juice, and add it little by little into the yolk mixture with the handheld on medium speed until combined.
In a third bowl, mix flour, salt and powder. Add a third of this mixture to the strainer, sift over the yolk while beating with the handheld on medium speed. Repeat this process up to three times.
Now add the grated orange zest to the batter, and whisk on medium speed.
Beat the egg whites until stiff. Then, add into the batter with a spatula making folding movements from bottom to top.
Pour the batter into a 8 inch cake pan. The pan has previously been buttered and floured so that the batter does not stick. Another option is to line the cake pan with parchment paper.
Bake for 45 minutes.
Assembly
When the cake is ready, unmold it and let it cool on a wire rack. When it has completely cooled, cut it into three parts and fill each layer with dulce de leche.
Whip together cream and sugar with the hand held mixer until soft peaks. Then, cover the cake with the whipped cream… Et voilà! You have a delicious birthday cake with dulce de leche!
