The best Mexican flan recipe comes together using a precision cooking technique that makes it creamy and delightful to the taste.
This post was sponsored by Anova as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central, and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.
Our secret for the best Mexican flan is the (ANOVA)ᴿᴱᴰ Precision Cooker!
This precision cooker allows home cooks to create chef-quality dishes and desserts like this Mexican flan with caramel, also called crème caramel. The cooking process is hassle-free, and the results are fantastic.
Preparing homemade desserts and this Mexican flan is easy when using innovative techniques while taking advantage of technology.
Precision cooking allows for predictable results every time, essential for us cooks since we do not want to fail when preparing the best dishes for our family and this yummy Mexican Flan. Having pro-level tools such as the (ANOVA)ᴿᴱᴰ Precision Cooker is a huge help!
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Tips for cooking the best Mexican flan for sous vide.
Precision cooking is a fantastic technique for making the perfect Mexican Flan. The creme caramel mixture turns into a soft and velvety custard dessert, and the use of small mason jars makes it an ideal size for gifting and offering in small gatherings and parties.
But before we start preparing the perfect flan, we need to set up the (ANOVA)ᴿᴱᴰ Precision Cooker. First, fill a deep container or pot with water, insert the precision cooker and secure it to the wall of the container.
Ensure the water level meets the requirement. The precision cooker has one mark for minimum water and another for maximum.
Set the temperature to 179F or 82C, and the cooking time to 1 hour. The precision cooker will beep when reaching the desired temperature and change to a solid blue light.
The ingredients for the Mexican Flan must be at room temperature, including the eggs, evaporated milk, and condensed milk. Use 3 whole eggs and 1-2 egg yolks for a creamier flan, but this is optional.
Authentic recipes require high-quality ingredients. Choose a good vanilla extract and sugar. Using farm-fresh whole eggs is also recommended.
Use a powerful blender. You can hand mix using a whisk or an electric mixer; however, the custard mix needs to be homogenous and light yellow. If doing this manually or with a mixer, you will need to strain the mixture before pouring it into the mason jars.
We recommend using small canning jars, preferably 4-ounces with locking seals and lids. Use a long canning lifter to place and remove the jars inside the sous vide. Remember, water will be boiling!
For the caramel sauce, use a double bottom pot for the best results. Use one cup of sugar with three tablespoons of water—Cook the sugar mixture on the stovetop at medium heat without stirring.
Allow the sugar to melt until acquiring an amber color. Remove the pot from the heat and temper using circular motions. Preserve inside a mason jar and keep the caramel in a dark place.
Patience is a significant factor for success when making the best Mexican Flan. Do not rush the process. The flan is an easy recipe, and the most challenging part is waiting to grab the first bite.
Learn about some historical facts about flan and its origins.
The first flan appeared in ancient Rome; however, it was savory and not sweet. Romans were farmers, and poultry farming was one of the critical activities. Thus eggs are a prominent ingredient in many dishes.
Originally the name of this vanilla custard delicacy comes from the French word “fladon,” which means flat cake.
Spaniards brought the Flan to Mexico, Latin America, and the Philippines, where flan is the dessert of choice.
Many Mexican desserts are attributed to the nuns who didn’t have ovens and created many succulent dishes in woodfire stoves using the double boiler technique.
The use of stovetop pressure cooking or a double boiler is a traditional way to cook Mexican Flan.
But for making the best Mexican Flan, you need precision cooking. You will notice the difference as the custard will be soft and gooey.
Once you try this Mexican flan recipe, you’ll love experimenting with using the same flan formula with other flavors.
The most common variations include coffee, dulce de leche, chocolate, pumpkin, sweet potato, cinnamon, cream cheese, and coconut.
Add one tablespoon of instant coffee or cocoa to the main flan recipe for a flan with coffee or chocolate flavor.
You love dulce de leche? Add 2 tablespoons of milk caramel to the classic flan recipe. And use dulce de leche syrup instead of the traditional amber caramel sauce to cover the bottom of the canning jars.
Pumpkin or sweet potato and cream cheese are fabulous additions to Mexican Flan. Use a piece of 4-ounce cream cheese, 1/2 cup of pumpkin or sweet potato puree, 12oz can of evaporated milk, 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 3 whole eggs, plus 2 egg yolks.
Make the coconut flan with Thai style canned coconut milk instead of evaporated milk, replace the vanilla extract with coconut extract if desired, and use the same ingredients of the flan base recipe. Add toasted coconut for serving.
How to avoid overcooking flan or custards?
Egg-based desserts or preparations can overcook quickly. You can tell a flan is overcooked when the consistency is firm and not soft, and the taste is eggy and not as pleasant. Plus, the flan shows unappealing bubbles.
Overcooking can happen when using a stovetop pressure cooker, a double boiler, and oven baking. The heat isn’t uniform and cannot be regulated to a constant temperature.
That is why precision cooking is the preferred technique for a perfect Mexican flan, among other dishes.
The sous vide maintains the same temperature, preventing overcooking. That is why it is precision cooking. No more guessing!
Other important considerations when cooking Mexican Flan
Once the flan is ready, remove the jars from the sous vide container and use a canning lifter to avoid burning.
Place the jars in a tray and allow them to reach room temperature (less than an hour.)
Refrigerate the flan for 24 hours before serving. Flan requires refrigeration, and flan remains fresh for 3-5 days inside the fridge.
Using canning jars is a good idea as the sealing caps will prevent the flan from creating hard skin at the top.
Pair the flan with fresh fruit. We love adding berries and other seasonal fruits.
Best Mexican Flan Recipe for Sous Vide
Equipment
- (ANOVA)ᴿᴱᴰ Precision Cooker
- Anova sous vide container
- Powerful blender
- 4-ounces canning jars with lids and seals
- Cups and spoons for measuring
- Double bottom pot
- 12-ounce mason jar with lid and seal
Ingredients
For the Flan
- 4 eggs, whole and room temperature
- 1 can 12oz evaporated milk, room temperature
- 1 can 14oz sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons caramel
For the caramel
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons water
Instructions
For the flan
- Set up the (ANOVA)ᴿᴱᴰ Precision Cooker. Fill a deep container or pot with water, insert the precision cooker and secure it to the wall of the container.
- Ensure the water level meets the requirement. The precision cooker has one mark for minimum water and another for maximum.
- Set the temperature to 179F or 82C, and the cooking time to 1 hour. The precision cooker will beep when reaching the desired temperature and change to a solid blue light.
- Add the evaporated milk, the condensed milk, the eggs, and the vanilla extract to the blender.
- Blend the ingredients on high. And set aside. If using a mixer or whisking by hand, the flan mixture has to be strained.
For the amber caramel
- Use a double bottom pot and add the sugar and the water.
- Cook the sugar mixture on the stovetop at medium heat without stirring.
- Allow the sugar to melt until acquiring an amber color.
- Remove the pot from the heat and temper using circular motions.
- Preserve inside a mason jar and keep the caramel in a dark place.
Notes
- Coffee Flavor – Add one tablespoon of instant coffee or cocoa to the main flan recipe for a flan with coffee or chocolate flavor.
- Dulce de Leche Flavor – Add 2 tablespoons of milk caramel to the classic flan recipe. And use dulce de leche syrup instead of the traditional amber caramel sauce to cover the bottom of the canning jars.
- Pumpkin or Sweet Potato and Cream Cheese flavor – Use a piece of 4-ounce cream cheese, 1/2 cup of pumpkin or sweet potato puree, 12oz can of evaporated milk, 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 3 whole eggs, plus 2 egg yolks.
- Coconut – Use Thai-style canned coconut milk instead of evaporated milk, replace the vanilla extract with coconut extract if desired, and use the same ingredients of the flan base recipe. Add toasted coconut for serving.
Nutrition
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