Dulce de leche, aka milk caramel, is the star in this dulce de leche flan. And unlike any of my other flan recipes like Dominican flan or pumpkin flan, this one is particularly sweet.
I can totally see this caramel flan being a top choice for a birthday party or celebration because it’s just the kind of dessert everyone will want to dig into. The rich caramel flavor just melts in your mouth with every spoonful!
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Use prepared dulce de leche or make it at home
You can totally grab some dulce de leche at the store, but if you’re up for making it at home, it’s actually pretty easy! Just take a can of sweetened condensed milk, place it in a pot of water, and let it simmer for a couple of hours.
Just make sure the can is always covered with water, and then once it cools down you’ll have this amazing, creamy dulce de leche that tastes so good and is perfect for this recipe!
Getting the flan out of the mold
Getting flan out of the mold can be a bit of a process, especially if the caramel didn’t spread evenly. Once it’s out of the fridge, run a knife gently around the edges to loosen it up, taking your time so it doesn’t break. Then, place a plate on top, flip it over carefully, and give it a little shake or tap to help it slide out.
If it’s still sticking, don’t stress. Try setting the mold in some warm water for a few minutes or hold a warm cloth on the bottom to loosen up the caramel, then give flipping it another go.
Dulce de Leche Flan (Caramel Flan)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 5 egg yolks
- ½ cup dulce de leche
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F. In a pan over medium heat, add sugar and let it begin to caramelize before stirring until smooth. Pour the caramelized sugar into a baking pan, tilting to spread evenly, then place the pan in the freezer while you make the flan mixture.
- In a blender, lightly pulse the eggs, yolks, and dulce de leche without creating too many bubbles. In a large bowl, mix heavy cream, evaporated milk, condensed milk, vanilla, and the egg mixture, being careful not to create air pockets. Strain 3 times until smooth.
- Remove the caramelized pan from the freezer and place in a large baking dish. Pour the flan mixture into the pan. Add hot water to the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the flan pan.
- Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove from oven and water bath, and let the flan rest at room temperature for 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, run a knife along the edges of the pan. Place a plate over the pan, flip, and gently shake to release the flan. Slice and serve, buen provecho!
