Whether you call it Caramel Custard, Creme Caramel or Caramel Flan, this popular luxuriously velvety dessert will hit the spot! Easy to make recipe with video and step by step pictures below!
When I think of Caramel Custard I think of those long buffet tables at restaurants in Pakistan. The white bowls with salads and condiments, that array of silver chafing dishes, and then that smorgasbord of desserts at the end. There always were gulab jamuns lazing in their syrupy bath, sponge cakes topped with cream swirls and finally, my favorite, the ring of Caramel Custard.
Kinds of Caramel Custard and Flan
When I was in college I attended an International Students Association event and spotted a Caramel Custard on the table. As I dug into it I realized quickly enough that the one I grew up eating and this one - made with evaporated and condensed milk - were not one and the same. This version, popular in many parts of the world, including Pakistan and India gets it richness from an emulsion of eggs, milk, and cream and doesn't have the heaviness of a evaporated / condensed milk dessert.
Is that still yummy? Why yes of course, it's just different.
Step by Step Caramel Custard Recipe:
Step One: Make the caramel
Pour your water and sugar in the pan, bring to a simmer and watch as it changes colour. When it hits a dark amber pour it in to the pan.
Step Two: Caramel Milk
Pour your milk, cream, sugar, and salt into the pan you made your caramel in. Stir well on low heat - just enough to make sure all the caramelly goodness gets mixed into the milk. Take it off the heat.
Step Three: Blend Baby Blend
Blend your six eggs and vanilla extract in your blender and then add the milk mixture back in - you can do this through the pour spout as the blender runs or if your milk is lukewarm then pour it directly in. Hot milk curdles eggs.
Tip: if you see bits of what you suspect are curdled eggs then simply pour the milk mixture in to your pan through a sieve to catch those bits
Step Four: Pour & Bake
Pour that lovely caramel milk mixture into your caramel bottomed pan. Place the pan inside another oven safe pan/dish. Pour hot water into it leaving just the top inch of the pan unsubmerged. Bake at 325F for 50 minutes for this pan.
Step Five: Flip and Serve!
Tip: I often make this dessert when I entertain because you can make it a day or two in advance and flip before serving!
Caramel Talk: Two Ways to Make Caramel
There are two ways to make Caramel: Dry and Wet.
- Dry means you sprinkle the sugar in your pan and let it change colour. If you are comfortable making caramel then this approach minimizes crystallization. However, the color change happens more rapidly here so keep close watch on the colour.
- Wet is what is written into the recipe card, it is a little more forgiving, but stirring can cause crystallization. Just gently swirl your caramel to get rid of pesky sugar crystals.
Caramel Custard FAQS
A Caramel Custard or Flan has an egg and milk base. If you overcook the custard then the eggs inside the custard effectively start to scramble causing those grainy sides and that eggy taste. A custard is done when the center is still pretty jiggly, even slightly wet to the touch and the sides are set.
I have two that I like and they both take seconds. One is a regular blender and the other is an immersion blender. Both result in a smooth caramel custard without eggy bits.
Walk way from that carton of non fat milk. Just don't even think about it. The low fat milk will not have the richness to stand up to the eggs in the base. My preference here is to use full fat for the milk and whipping cream for the cream, but you can use
All whole milk
Whole Milk or 2% (2 cups) and Half-n-half or table cream (1 cup)
Bonus Tip: For the BEST Caramel Custard
If you want to make the best caramel custard you have ever had then use a vanilla bean.
It is undoubtedly an indulgence, but well worth it for special occasions. Simply halve the vanilla bean, scrape out the seeds and mix into your milk as you warm it stove top. Add the scraped pod in there for extra flavour and just when you're about to mix it into your eggs then remove the pod.
Hope you love this take on one of my childhood favourites! Do rate the recipe below and tag me in your recreations on Instagram @flourandspiceblog - your feedback always keeps me going!
Velvety Caramel Custard or Caramel Flan
Equipment
- 1 5*7 loaf pan or a 8 inch round pan
- A roasting pan large enough to fit the custard pan (above)
- A blender or an Immersion blender
Ingredients
Caramel
- ½-2/3 cup sugar (⅔ for a round pan, ½ for a loaf)
- ½ cup water
Custard
- 2 cups Milk Whole preferred, but nothing lower than 2%
- 1 cup Cream Whipping or Table, either is fine. Half in Half works too
- ¾ cup Sugar
- 6 Eggs
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ½ tsp Salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F and place the roasting pan with an inch or two of water inside the oven.
Caramel
- Pour the water into a heavy bottomed pan and then sprinkle your sugar over top. Do not stir.
- Keep the pan on medium heat and keep a close eye on the sugar, but again do not stir.
- As the sugar turns a honey color watch carefully, you want a dark amber liquid, but this happens very fast. You can swirl the pan gently to even the caramelizing
- As soon as it turns a beautiful amber colour pour it into your custard dish.
Custard
- There is loads of beautiful caramel flavour still in the pan you used for caramelizing the sugar so pour your liquids into the pan along with the sugar and the salt and warm through stirring occasionally. Take your milk off the heat.
- Crack 6 eggs into your blender along with the vanilla extract and pulse/blend slightly to create an even mix.
- Now while your blender is running on low pour the milk mix into the blender through the feed tube/opening, stop running the blender as soon as it is all in. If you are not comfortable pouring while blending then just wait for your milk to cool to room temperature and pour it directly into the blender.
- Pour the mixture into your caramel dish, you can remove the foam from the top.
- Place the pan inside the roasting pan with water and gently pour in more hot water so that only the top inch of the pan isn't submerged.
- Bake until the sides are set and the center is still jiggly, 50- 55 minutes for a loaf pan, 40-45 for a round pan. When you touch the top it will seem soft but set.
- Cool completely (4 hours+ in the fridge) then run a knife along the edges to seperate them. Invert in a dish with high sides and pour the remaining caramel sauce in the pan into another small bowl for your grateful loved ones.
Video
Notes
- If you want to skip warming the milk in the caramel pan then simply pour it into the blender as is.
- If some of the caramel stays stuck to the bottom of the pan after you flip the custard/flan then pour over some boiling water to loosen it up
- For more tips and tricks please read the blog post!
Want to see some more of my childhood favourites?
Momina says
I’ve been making this for every gathering at our place and it’s such a hit!
Sarah Mir says
thank you so very much for sharing that!
Nadia says
Turned out perfect ! Thank you for the recipe. I used vanilla essence instead of extract - is the quantity supposed to be same for both ?
Sarah Mir says
It is absolutely the same for both and that's so great to hear it turned out well!
Sabeen Faruqui says
I tried this amazing recipe for a dinner this weekend. It turned out amazing!!! Thank you for always sharing the best recipes Sarah! You are awesome ❤️
Sarah Mir says
Thank YOU Sabeen for this kind review!
June says
Thanks for the two wonderful receipt. Coconut Macaroons & Caramel Custard. Thanks very much!
June
Sarah Mir says
Hi June! Glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for leaving a review!
mariya says
The most perfect recipe !!! already made it 3 time. Thank you so much 🙂
Sarah Mir says
That is absolutely wonderful to hear!
Hina Sharif says
Hi
Would love to try this one
So in Pakistan we have olpers cream is that okay to use
Sarah Mir says
That absolutely works!
Nabiya says
I love this recipe - even made it in the instant pot and most loved dessert ❤️
Sarah Mir says
Happy to hear that! also tellll me your Instant Pot ways! I would love to try it!
Farah says
The best caramel custard recipe!
Saadia says
Sarah,
I had been craving for this for so long. I finally made it using your recipe step by step and it turned out DELICIOUS!!! It turned out AMAZING! So luscious and so velvety! The sweetness was just perfect! I am never scared of trying out your recipes as I know they will always turn out perfect. Thank you for always sharing them : )!
Naureen H says
This recipe is fool proof! I have made it twice in the past two weeks and it has been gobbled up!
Sarah Mir says
So
So glad!!!
Saira Raheel says
This pudding recipe is fail proof recipe. So easy and always comes out as delicious as it looks. Thank you for sharing . Tried couple of times and my family says this is the best pudding recipe 1000x better than packaged puddings . Thank you Sarah for sharing.
Sarah Mir says
Thank you SO SO much Saira! I am THRILLED to hear that!
Zainab says
After watching Mariums stories I remembered how much I loved this recipe of yours. I made it a couple years back when you first posted it.
My mother made this dessert all the time and she still does. It's always a family favorite.
So this weekend Im making it again to take to a friend's place. Can't wait to have some myself 🙂
Sarah Mir says
Thank you SO SO much Zainab for sharing this!
Fathima says
Can the cream be replaced by 1 cup evaporated milk?
Sarah Mir says
I haven't tried, but I think my instinct is to replace it with milk!
Maha says
Thank you for the recipe. Does the material of the pan (glass/metal) make a difference in the timing? Would love to try this soon
Sarah Mir says
Hi Maha! People seem to have used different pans to good effect without adjusting timing!
Isbah Khurram says
EXCELLENT foolproof recipe
Sarah Mir says
Yay!!!! thank you for making it!