Description
This Cream Cheese Caramel Flan is a luscious, creamy dessert combining the smooth richness of cream cheese with the classic caramel custard flavor. It features a silky custard base made from cream cheese, eggs, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk, baked in a water bath to achieve the perfect delicate texture. The golden caramel adds a rich sweetness that complements the creamy flan, making it an irresistible treat perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Caramel
- 1¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
Custard
- 8 ounces cream cheese (1 block, room temperature)
- 5 large eggs
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk (1 can)
- 12 ounces evaporated milk (1 can)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prepare the caramel: Add the sugar and water to a saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves and turns into a golden amber liquid, about 10 minutes, whisking occasionally to prevent burning.
- Coat the pan with caramel: Immediately pour the caramel into an ungreased 9-inch round cake pan (2 inches deep) or two smaller flan pans, tilting to evenly coat the bottom.
- Preheat oven and prepare water bath: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bring a kettle of water to a boil for the water bath.
- Make the custard mixture: In a mixer bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs and mix until fully incorporated. Add sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla extract, and salt, mixing well.
- Strain the custard: Pour the cream cheese mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove lumps and ensure a smooth texture.
- Assemble for baking: Pour the custard over the caramel in the baking pan. Place the pan inside a larger roasting pan and carefully pour the boiling water into the outer pan to a depth of at least 1 inch to create a water bath.
- Bake the flan: Bake for about 60 minutes or until the center is set but still jiggles slightly. For smaller pans, start checking doneness after 30 minutes.
- Cool and chill: Remove the flan pan from the water bath and cool on a rack for 1 hour. Then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results.
- Serve: To serve, run a knife around the edge of the flan, invert onto a rimmed platter to catch caramel drips, slice, and enjoy.
Notes
- Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature to avoid lumps.
- Use a fine-mesh sieve to ensure silky smooth custard without lumps.
- Pour the boiling water carefully into the roasting pan to avoid splashing onto the custard.
- Let the flan chill thoroughly for the creamiest texture and easiest unmolding.
- Use a rimmed serving plate to catch caramel sauce when unmolding.
Keywords: cream cheese flan, caramel flan, baked custard dessert, creamy flan recipe, easy flan recipe