What is Flan?

What is Flan? What ingredients are used to make Flan?

Flan can refer to two distinct treats: one being a creamy, baked custard topped with caramel, similar to the French crème caramel, or a fruit-filled pastry, often known as a fruit flan.

What is Dessert Flan?

A dessert flan consists of a combination of eggs, sweetened condensed milk, cream or whole milk, and flavorings such as vanilla, coconut, orange, or coffee. Due to the delicate nature of the egg custard, flan is traditionally baked in a water bath.

What is a Fruit Flan?

A fruit flan is commonly baked in a metal flan ring with vertical sides. Unlike tart pans or cake pans, a flan ring has no bottom, which allows for easier removal once baked. It should be placed on a baking sheet during baking. The finished pastry shell is topped with a layer of pastry cream and fresh fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, apricots, peaches, or any combination of these.

Where Does Flan Come From?

Flan is a beloved dessert throughout Spain and Latin America. While the dish is known by the same name, its preparation may differ slightly from country to country.

Flan napolitano, or Mexican flan, is a variation with a caramel layer on the bottom, which is inverted onto a plate so the caramel sits on top. This version is quite similar to the Spanish flan, and its origins trace back to Spain, from where it was brought to Mexico and spread across Latin America.

In Mexico and Central America, flan can be made with either fresh milk or condensed milk. However, in Cuba, flan is traditionally made using only evaporated and condensed milk, as fresh milk is not as readily available there.

Leche flan is the Filipino adaptation of flan, closely resembling the Mexican version.

Flan de queso is a variation of flan from Latin America made with cream cheese, and it can also be infused with coconut flavor.

What’s the Difference Between Flan and Quiche?

While there are savory versions of flan made with eggs, vegetable purees, and often cheese (such as Italian sformato), flans are typically sweet and served as desserts. Quiche, by contrast, is always savory. Additionally, a quiche pan has a bottom, unlike a flan ring.

What’s the Difference Between Flan and Crème Brûlée?

In flan, the caramel topping is soft and liquid, whereas in crème brûlée, it consists of a hardened layer of caramelized sugar that is typically set with the help of a crème brûlée torch.

Popular Flan Recipes

Here are some of our favorite flan recipes. For a more detailed guide on how to make this delicious custardy treat, check out Perfect Flan.

Quesillo (Venezuelan Flan)

Start by adding homemade caramel to a flan mold, then pour in a simple custard mixture and bake it in a water bath. 'The Venezuelan quesillo recipe, pronounced ke-see-yo, has been passed down through our family for as long as I can remember,' says imgoingbananas.

Spanish Flan

This is a classic vanilla flan made with both evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk.

Chef John's Cheesecake Flan

"My attempt at creating a flan that tastes like cheesecake resulted in a cheesecake-like custard baked over a layer of caramel," says Chef John. "To my (pleasant) surprise, I ended up with a cheesecake-flavored flan, thanks to the magic of caramelized sugar. Be cautious though—the thin caramel layer can be overpowering. Whether or not your graham cracker crust turns out, I hope you'll give this delightful recipe a try soon."

Flan de Coco (Coconut Flan)

"A delicious, tropical coconut flan," says Esther. "It's authentically Caribbean!"

Fresh Fruit Flan

"A stunning fresh fruit dessert, this is far from your typical 'fruit pizza,'" says Aunt Jeannie. "Feel free to swap in your favorite fruits or berries for the ones used in this recipe."

Flan II

A true classic! This deliciously simple baked custard combines caramelized sugar, milk, and eggs.

Explore our collection of Flan Recipes.