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 cheesecake is 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.

I also invite you to try our traditional Spanish flan recipe.