Best Flan Ever

Barbi Girl's Note:

This is the best flan you will ever taste. The cream cheese takes away the "egginess" that most flan's have. The water bath ensures that the custard does not burn and that the caramel turns into a wonderful sauce.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 5 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 24

Yield: 1.0 custard

• 1 cup sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 1 (14 ounce) can condensed milk
• 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ounce cream cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Select 2 oven safe containers, one that can easily fit inside the other.
3. The large one will be used for a water bath and the smaller one will actually house the flan.
4. Fill the larger container a little less than half way with water and place in the cold oven to heat up while you prepare the caramel and the custard.
5. In a large pan, using a wooden spoon caramelize the sugar until it turns a light golden brown.
6. While still hot, transfer the melted sugar to the smaller container, swirling it around until the entire bottom is covered then set aside.
7. In a blender add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
8. Open up the oven where you have placed the water bath and then place the small pan with the caramel inside the large water bath pan.
9. Pour the custard into the pan being careful not to splash it.
10. Bake for 30- 45 minutes until the top is golden brown and the center passes a toothpick test.
11. Remove from oven and allow to cool on rack.
12. You may invert this onto a large serving dish with lip or just server out of container you cooked it inches.

Reviews

[carotorres]

I made this recipe for my parents and boyfriend and they loved it. My boyfriend has asked me to make one every week since the first one. :) It's a really great recipe. The only thing I changed was that I used 1/2 cup of sugar. Thanks Barbi

[lunaysol64]

Good simple recipe but for God's sake dont add water to the sugar like one of the reviewers posted when you caramalize it. Do it in a medium high heat in a pan with a big surface area and keep stirring. It should only take ten to twelve minutes to caramalize not 30. But when you have it melted everything else should be in place work fast and you should be good. I would let it cool in the fridge overnight so that it holds together when you turn it over.

[Tamaretta]

Dessert perfection! Like the previous poster I consider myself a dessert snob - no imitation, pre-fabricated, synthetic stuff allowed! This recipe did not dissapoint! The small amount of cream cheese definitely took away the egginess without turning it into a cheesecake. For my 11 X 7 pan, 1 cup of browned sugar was way too much though - the dessert was incredibly sweet with the syrup. I would go with 1/2 cup next time. I also had to bake an additional 20 mins for that size pan. I was thinking of adding a little cinnamon to the batter or fruit (mango or banana) puree next time but this is divine as is! I would not hesitate to serve this to guests especially since it can be made and refrigerated ahead of time. Thanks for posting!