Felt the urge for some Mexican flan yesterday since our local place is always sold out. I’ve never made it before so I used this recipe: https://www.mexicoinmykitchen.com/easy-flan-recipe/
It was good, but not as creamy as others I’ve had. It was also kind of dense. Does anyone have a favorite recipe I can try? Much appreciated!
There are several flan threads. I recall discussing the Goya flan recipe.
The Goya recipe is basically the same but with 4 eggs instead of 6. Would that make it less dense?
It could. My Aunt uses 10 eggs in the recipe she follows. The water bath method also helps final texture.
Thanks. If/when I try it again, I’ll report back!
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Well, I have no idea how authentic this flan is, but it is really creamy and delicious. It’s like a good creme brulee. it was devoured quickly at a family gathering.
Ok my sister uses this version and the step by step photos. Note the egg listing. I like the loaf pan idea and she recommended water bath as illustrated.
No, i have unfortunately never made flan myself, but I recently had some at an office potluck and it was fabulous, the best I’ve ever tasted. Very creamy and silky. The woman who made it uses this recipe:
PERFECT LATIN FLAN RECIPE
Serves 8 to 10
This recipe should be made at least one day before serving. An 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan is recommended for this recipe. If your pan is 9 x 5 inches, begin checking for doneness at 1 hour. Serve the flan on a platter with a raised rim to contain the liquid caramel.
INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup (4 2/3 ounces or 130g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs plus 5 yolks
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1/2 cup whole milk or 2% milk
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
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Stir together sugar and 1/4 cup water in medium heavy saucepan until sugar is completely moistened. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, 3 – 5 minutes, and cook, without stirring, until mixture begins to turn golden, another 1 – 2 minutes. Gently swirling pan, continue to cook until sugar is color of peanut butter, 1 – 2 minutes. Remove from heat and swirl pan until sugar is reddish-amber and fragrant, 15 – 20 seconds. Carefully swirl in 2 tablespoons warm tap water until incorporated; mixture will bubble and steam. Pour caramel into 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan; do not scrape out saucepan. Set loaf pan aside.
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Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees F. Line bottom of 13 x 9-inch baking pan with dish towel, folding towel to fit smoothly, and set aside. Bring 2 quarts (8 cups) water to boil.
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Whisk eggs and yolks in large bowl until combined. Add sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk, vanilla, and salt and whisk until incorporated. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer into prepared loaf pan.
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Cover loaf pan tightly with aluminum foil and place in prepared baking pan. Place baking pan in oven and carefully pour all of boiling water into pan. Bake until center of custard jiggles slightly when shaken and custard registers 180 degrees F, 1 hour 15 min to 1 hour 30 minutes. Remove foil and leave custard in water bath until loaf pan has cooled completely (for approximately 90 minutes). Remove loaf pan from water bath, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and chill overnight or up to 4 days.
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To unmold, slide paring knife around edges of pan. Invert serving platter on top of pan and turn pan and platter over. When flan is released, remove loaf pan. Using rubber spatula, scrape residual caramel onto flan. Slice and serve. (Leftover flan may be covered loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 4 days.)
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Nice and very close to the recipe link my sister recommended so now I’m even more interested in going this route.
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Big fan that even though you never made it, you have this recipe right at your finger tips! 
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haha - it just so happened I got that recipe in Nov.!
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@ the librarian
Continuing the discussion from Mexican flan recipe?:
I happened to give my time tested creamy recipe for leche flan at HO twice within the last 12 months.
If you want to try mine, here it is dated 12/19 /'19 when I baked it for a friend’s birthday party
I have been using this recipe for over 50 years, but not as often since my husband passed as he had gluten enteropathy and so this is a great dessert for him.
Of course I do not know what. you mean by being dense. Perhaps it is the cream cheese? Our trips to France where we ordered Flan many times was a disappointment bec their flan is jiggly, not dense enough.
I think the use of evaporated and condensed milk makes the difference The latin use evaporated milk and condensed milk instead of cream or whole milk. EM and CM has 60% of water removed. .
I looked at the recipe mexicoinmykitchen
My humble opinion?
- The pictures shows air holes when the flan is cooked, which would not win a contest if there was one.
I gave step by step instructions so if you follow them, then you will have a perfect flan meaning creamy, with no holes which is a benchmark for a perfect flan. That is bec the custard is not beaten with a fork but as you can see in my instructions, the eggs and the milk has to be mixed , stirred in one direction using a fork so as not to create air bubbles.
2…Another comment of mine is that the custard has to be prepared first, followed by the caramel sauce… That way, you will not get stressed that the caramel sauce has become hard .
Even preparing the custard initially followed by the caramel sauce, you will find that the caramel sauce often hardens while you are swirling it to cover the bottom and side of the pan you are going to prepare the fan in. However, do not worry as when you bake it, the steam from using the double pan will loosen the caramel sauce. Of course there will be some caramel left in the pan as you unfold it and if you like, you can always add a bit more water to bring it back to pouring consistency and maybe add cream as sauce on the side.
Let me me know if there is any problem . Just remember prepare the custard first, stir in one direction slowly so there are no air bubbles, and bake using a water bath.
It would be advisable also to follow Julia Child’s technique in making the caramel sauce so there is less chance of failure. Of course if you fail initially, throw it away as Julia commented bec sugar is cheap. Remember that you will have your custard prepared which is no problem as it sits there on the counter waiting for you to make as second batch of caramel sauce.
I hope you will try and let me know as I have given this recipe twice recently but nobody follows up to tell me whether it was successful or not.
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I couldn’t find your recipe for flan. I remember you sharing it but I don’t recall the topic it was posted in when you shared it with me.
Flan is in the oven for 90 mins. 
this is my first try making flan.
Photo to follow.
Just out of the oven and sitting one hr in water bath before chilling. I see 3 tiny bubbles but otherwise smooth. Still jiggles in middle.
I used the recipe I linked yesterday, following @ccj‘s tips. You can’t ignore 50 years experience!
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I went down a flan rabbit hole a while ago…
Basic recipe is 1 cup liquid and 2 eggs - this yields a standard, jiggly caramel custard.
Density increases as you vary this:
- milk replaced by cream, condensed milk and/or evaporated milk
- cream cheese
- more eggs, additional yolks, and/or swapping yolks for some whole eggs
To the recipe you used, try adding 2-3 yolks for a denser custard - you can cut back 1-2 whole eggs if you prefer.
Swapping the evaporated milk for heavy cream will also yield a richer custard.
(Bubbles are a whole different issue with different solutions, but they don’t bother many people, so if you’re in that group I’d stay there 
.)
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how did it come out taste wise? I. hope it has a firm but not too firm consistency. I do not see any bubbles or holes but those are usually seen when. you slice the flan. If there is no holes, then bravo ! Did you have enough caramel sauce to cover the flan ? Usually some of the caramel hardens in the mold while custard is being poured but it wil soften once it is cooked and of course wait at least 3 hours to unmold. I leave min in fridge once it is no longer hot before unfolding.
I haven’t tasted it yet @ccj because I’m saving it for company but once I do I will report back. I’m curious to see how the sugar turned out. I unmold it well. It’s covered with Saran in the frig.
