I have to share this easy flan recipe, it’s truly one of my favorites! This dessert is a delicious blend of creamy cheese and rich caramel that never fails to impress. The cake is so moist, soaking up all that sweet caramel goodness at the bottom, while the top is smooth and creamy. Every bite feels like a little piece of heaven, combining the best of both worlds. Trust me, you’re going to love it!
Easy Cream Cheese Flan Recipe
This dessert is a fusion of flan and cheesecake. If you like flan and cheesecake you will love this flan. It is made of three layers of texture and flavors. The top layer is caramel sauce, the middle layer is silky-smooth custard pudding (cream cheese flan) and the bottom layer is a spongy, airy fluffy, and soft cake.
This easy cream cheese flan is a perfect dessert to end a meal, and I am sure your family and guests will be so happy with this dessert.
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⭐Why You'll Love This Easy Flan Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: This flan recipe uses easy-to-find ingredients like cream cheese, eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla. No complicated stuff is needed to make something delicious!
- Easy to Make: With clear step-by-step instructions, even beginner bakers can handle this recipe. Making the caramel, blending the custard, and baking is all pretty straightforward.
- Make Ahead Convenience: Flan is perfect for making ahead of time! You can prepare it and pop it in the fridge, letting the flavors blend beautifully. This means less stress on the big day!
- All-in-One Dessert: With both flan and cake layers, this dessert gives you the best of both worlds: creamy custard and light, fluffy cake in one bite.
- Beautiful Presentation: The golden caramel top and smooth flan look stunning. When you flip it out of the mold, it’s a showstopper, making it perfect for gatherings or special occasions!
🧾Easy Flan Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this Easy Flan recipe:
Ingredients for the Caramel:
- Sugar: I love using granulated sugar as the base for caramel. When heated, it melts into a golden-brown syrup, adding sweetness and a rich flavor.
- Cold Water: I add water to help dissolve the sugar evenly and prevent it from crystallizing. This keeps the caramel smooth as it cooks.
- Lemon Juice: A splash of lemon juice helps stop the sugar from crystallizing and adds a hint of tartness that balances the sweetness.
For the Cream Cheese Flan:
- Cream Cheese: I use room-temperature cream cheese for a rich and creamy custard. It gives a smooth texture and a slightly tangy flavor that pairs nicely with the sweetness. You can swap it for mascarpone if you like.
- Sugar: I sweeten the custard with granulated sugar, which enhances the flan's flavor and helps get the right consistency.
- Eggs: I prefer fresh room-temperature eggs, which help bind everything together and give the custard its creamy texture.
- Milk: Room-temperature milk is my go-to for adding liquid and creaminess to the custard. It gives a mild, rich flavor that complements the other ingredients. You can use some double cream if you want.
- Double Cream: I like adding room temperature double cream for extra richness and a luxurious texture in the flan.
For the Cake:
- Egg: Fresh room-temperature eggs help bind the cake and give it structure. When beaten well, they make the cake light and fluffy.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the cake and helps it brown beautifully in the oven, contributing to a tender crumb.
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour as the main ingredient for structure. It absorbs moisture and helps the cake rise, giving it that light and spongy texture. You can also use pastry or cake flour if you prefer.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
👩🏻🍳How to Make Easy Flan
These step-by-step instructions and photos will help you to visualize how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for a printable version of this recipe.
How to Make Caramel:
1. In a small pan, heat sugar, water, and lemon juice over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then cook until it turns golden brown.
2. Pour the caramel sauce into a glass mold, then set it aside to cool and harden.
How to Make Cream Cheese Flan:
1. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese and sugar with a spatula until smooth and the sugar dissolves.
2. Beat in the eggs one at a time until well-mixed.
3. Add milk and cream, then mix until well combined.
4. Strain the custard mixture into the caramel-coated mold.
How to Make the Cake:
1. In a large bowl, beat one egg on low speed for about 2 minutes until foamy, then add sugar and mix briefly.
2. Place the bowl over a pot of hot water and heat until it reaches 40°C (104°F).
3. Remove from the saucepan and beat for about 4 minutes, or until stiff peaks form.
4. Sift the flour and gently mix it into the egg mixture until well combined.
5. Pour the cake batter over the custard.
6. Put the mold in a big baking tray, add hot water, and bake for 20 minutes at 160°C (320°F) with the fan on.
7. Take the tray out of the oven, cover the mold with aluminum foil, and bake for another 30 minutes at 150 °C (302 °F) with the fan.
8. Take the tray out of the oven, remove the aluminum foil, lift the mold from the water bath, and let it cool to room temperature.
9. After it cools, chill it in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
10. Run a knife along the edges of the mold.
11. Put a plate on the flan, turn it over, and gently remove the mold.
12. Cut the flan and serve it.
📖Variations
- Add Spices: To boost the flavor, sprinkle in some spices like cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, or even lemon or orange extract.
- Add a Pinch of Salt: A little salt goes a long way in bringing out the flavors and making the custard and cake taste even better.
- Add Cocoa Powder: For a chocolatey touch, mix in 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder into the custard.
- Add Instant Coffee: Want a coffee kick? Stir in 2 tablespoons of instant coffee for extra flavor in the custard.
💭Tips for Recipe Success
Watch the Color: Keep an eye on the caramel as it cooks. Once it turns a golden brown, take it off the heat right away to avoid burning.
Sieve the Mixture: Strain the custard through a sieve before pouring it into the mold. This gets rid of any lumps and makes the texture nice and smooth.
Water Bath: Use a bain-marie (water bath) while baking the flan. It helps cook everything evenly and prevents curdling or cracking.
Run a Knife Around the Edges: Before flipping it out, run a thin knife around the edges to loosen the flan. This makes it easier to remove.
Invert with Care: Place a platter on top of the mold, flip it over quickly, and gently lift off the mold. If it sticks, give it a little shake to help it release.
Storage: Store leftover flan in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
🍮More Custard and Pudding Recipes!
If you're loving this Easy Flan, you'll also adore these delicious custard and pudding recipes:
- Natilla Spanish Homemade Custard
- Strawberry Pudding
- Banana Pudding
- 2 Ingredient Chocolate Mousse
- Sticky Toffee Pudding
🍰More Dessert Recipes!
Here are more of my favorite dessert recipes! Try these:
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📖 Recipe
Ingredients
For the Caramel:
- 90 g Sugar
- 45 ml Cold Water
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
For the Cream Cheese Flan:
- 150 g Cream Cheese
- 50 g Ssugar
- 3 Eggs
- 250 ml Milk
- 100 ml Double Cream
For the Cake:
- 1 Egg
- 30 g Sugar
- 30 g Flour
Instructions
How to Make Caramel:
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, add sugar, cold water, and lemon juice, and bring to a gentle boil until sugar is completely dissolved, cook until the mixture turns into a golden-brown syrup.
- Carefully pour the caramel sauce into a glass mold. Set aside and allow to cool and harden.
How to Make Cream Cheese Flan:
- In a large mixing bowl, add cream cheese and sugar, beat with a spatula until soft and sugar is melted.
- Beat in eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly combined.
- Add milk and double cream and mix until everything is thoroughly combined.
- Pour the custard mixture through a sieve into the caramel-coated mold.
How to Make the Cake:
- In a large mixing bowl, add one egg and beat with a hand mixer on medium-low speed until foamy around 2 minutes, then add sugar, and beat for a few seconds.
- Place the bowl over a saucepan with hot water, and heat until reaching 40 C (104 F)
- Remove from the saucepan and beat for around 4 minutes or until a stiff peak is achieved.
- Sieve the flour and carefully fold it into the egg mixture until everything is fully combined.
- Pour the cake mixture over the custard mixture.
- Place the mold in a large baking tray, pour hot water, and bake for 20 minutes @ 160c (320 F) with the fan.
- Remove the tray from the oven, cover the top of the mold with aluminium foil, and then bake again for 30 minutes @ 150 °C (302 °F) with the fan.
- Remove the tray from the oven, remove the aluminium foil, lift the mold out of the water bath, and let it cool to room temperature.
- Once it's cooled, refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
- Use a knife to run through the edges of the mold.
- Place a platter on top of the flan, flip it over, and carefully lift off the mold.
- Slice the flan and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Sandra says
WOW! This is the best flan I've ever made.