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You are here: Home / Meal Type / Dessert / Leche Flan (Caramel Custard)

Leche Flan (Caramel Custard)

March 29, 2018 by Liza Agbanlog 16 Comments

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Leche Flan (Caramel Custard) Leche flan is one of my go-to Filipino desserts to bring to a holiday party or get-together along with with my other favorites: pineapple glazed ham and pan de sal. It’s a delicious, sweet and creamy custard that is always a crowd-pleaser.

What is Leche Flan?

Leche flan is a popular Filipino dessert that is often served during special events or occasions like Christmas, Easter and birthday parties. It is normally made in a mold called llanera. A baking pan or ramekins may also be used. The pan is lined with caramel and topped with custard and may be steamed using the stove or baked in a hot water bath. After baking or steaming, the custard is cooled and then chilled in the fridge for several hours or overnight. To serve, the pan is inverted onto a serving plate and the custard comes out with smooth caramel on top.

Ingredients used

Leche flan is made with the following ingredients:

  • Sugar – used to make the caramel topping
  • Eggs – 8 egg yolks are used to get that delicious custard taste and texture
  • Condensed Milk – condensed milk is used to sweeten and add creaminess to the dish
  • Evaporated Milk
  • Water
  • Lemon or Lime zest – the zest is used to add a subtle citrus note
  • Vanilla Extract

How to make Leche Flan?

There are so many ways to make this delicious dessert. This recipe uses a mixture of sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk. I also added grated lemon rind for extra taste and flavor.

The first step is to create the caramel topping by heating the sugar. Then, the caramel is immediately placed in the leche flan molds and set aside. To make the flan, the egg yolks are beaten before adding the condensed milk. Then, the evaporated milk and water are added to the mixture along with the citrus zest and vanilla. Finally, the mixture is poured into the molds and baked in a water bath.

Leche Flan (Caramel Custard)

Leche Flan (Caramel Custard)

Leche Flan

Avatar photoLiza Agbanlog
Leche flan is a popular Filipino caramel custard dessert that is always served during special events or occasions like Christmas, Easter and birthday parties. 
4.80 from 5 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr
Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine Filipino
Servings 6 servings
Calories 346 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup sugar
  • 8 egg yolks
  • 1 can (300 ml) sweetened condensed milk
  • ¾ cup evaporated milk
  • ¾ cup water
  • ¼ tsp finely grated lemon or lime zest
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • Position the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  • In a heavy saucepan, melt the sugar over medium high heat. Cook, without stirring, until sugar starts to caramelize, about 4 minutes.
  • Immediately pour the caramel over an 8-inch round pan or distribute the caramel into two leche flan molds (llanera). Tip the pan or molds side to side to distribute the caramel evenly. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks until well blended. Add the condensed milk and stir to mix thoroughly.
  • Pour the evaporated milk and water into the yolk mixture. Add the lemon rind and vanilla, and mix well. Pour the mixture into the pan or molds.
  • Place a kitchen towel in the bottom of a large roasting pan and then place the prepared pan or molds on top of the kitchen towel. Pour enough hot water in the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the pan or molds.
  • Carefully place the roasting pan in the oven. Bake the custard in the hot water bath until set, about 1 hour.
  • Let the custard cool in the water bath for 20 minutes and then refrigerate to chill for several hours or overnight.
  • To serve, run a knife around the side of the pan and quicky turn the custard into a serving plate. Pour excess caramel in the pan over the custard.

Nutrition

Calories: 346kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 9gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 286mgSodium: 110mgPotassium: 308mgSugar: 47gVitamin A: 555IUVitamin C: 1.9mgCalcium: 256mgIron: 0.8mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Nutrition Facts
Leche Flan
Amount Per Serving
Calories 346 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 286mg95%
Sodium 110mg5%
Potassium 308mg9%
Carbohydrates 47g16%
Sugar 47g52%
Protein 9g18%
Vitamin A 555IU11%
Vitamin C 1.9mg2%
Calcium 256mg26%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Leche Flan (Caramel Custard)

 

 

Filed Under: Dessert, Filipino, Recipes Tagged With: custard, dessert, egg, filipino, flan, leche, milk, sweets

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Larraine Flores

    April 29, 2021 at 1:10 am

    Thank you for this!! Will try this sweet dessert later because my daughter requested it. Hoping it will turn out great like this. 🙂

    Reply
  2. Eprill

    October 19, 2020 at 11:12 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for sharing this recipe! Beautifully made 🙂

    Reply
  3. Rowena

    August 29, 2020 at 12:31 pm

    What is the towel’s purpose? Is that supposed to be in tbe roasting pan when cooking the flan in the oven…?

    Reply
    • Avatar photoLiza Agbanlog

      August 29, 2020 at 12:45 pm

      Hi Rowena,
      Yes the kitchen towel stays at the bottom of the roasting pan in the oven while the flan is being baked. The purpose of the kitchen towel is to prevent the round pan or molds from moving around when the roasting pan is being placed in and out of the oven.

      Reply
  4. Patricia

    December 23, 2019 at 11:15 pm

    Ilang llanera po na gawa nyu. ? Thanks.

    Reply
    • Avatar photoLiza Agbanlog

      December 24, 2019 at 6:55 pm

      Hi Patricia,
      This recipe yields 2 leche flan molds (llanera).

      Reply
  5. Susan

    December 17, 2019 at 10:46 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for this recipe! Made this for my baby’s Baptism and it was a hit – especially with my dad. So now it is still be of my go-to recipes. I double the lemon zest because I love the added zing 🙂

    Reply
    • Avatar photoLiza Agbanlog

      December 18, 2019 at 6:10 pm

      Hi Susan,
      I am so glad you were able to try and had success with this recipe. Take care and thanks for writing!

      Reply
  6. Ellie

    October 7, 2019 at 10:43 pm

    Can i used a blender to blend well the ingredients?

    Reply
    • Avatar photoLiza Agbanlog

      October 7, 2019 at 10:58 pm

      Hi Ellie,
      Yes, you can use a blender to blend the ingredients until a smooth mixture is achieved. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  7. nancy ledesma

    November 8, 2018 at 10:52 pm

    i love doing dessert for my kids..i love to do letche plan..

    Reply
  8. Marissa

    February 16, 2018 at 9:46 pm

    Can we use a steamer instead of the oven.? How long would be the cooking time?

    Reply
    • Avatar photoLiza Agbanlog

      February 16, 2018 at 10:55 pm

      Hi Marissa,
      You can certainly use a steamer to cook the leche flan. Cover the baking pan or leche flan molds (llanera) with foil and then try steaming for 30 minutes first and then check for doneness by inserting a toothpick. Continue steaming, if needed.

      Reply
  9. Guadelyn

    December 28, 2015 at 10:55 pm

    Bakit po nila lagyan nyo ngbwater ang leche.plan nyo ano ang magyayari kungbmay tubig diba Magiging sobrang malambot na

    Reply
    • Avatar photoLiza A

      December 29, 2015 at 9:52 am

      Hi Guadelyn,
      Nilagyan ko ng tubig para ma-dilute iyong condensed milk. The result is a light and not dense leche flan, the way I like my leche flan to be 🙂 Hope you are enjoying the holiday season!

      Reply
      • Jean

        December 16, 2023 at 7:12 am

        4 stars
        I lfollowed your instructions and successful if I don’t put 3/4 cup water. I just did 1/2 cup

        Reply

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Avatar photoHi, I'm Liza and welcome to my blog. Salu-salo is a Filipino word that means getting together with friends and family to eat. I am not a cook by profession, but I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, cooking for my family. Read More…

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