• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Feels Like Home™ logo

  • Shop
    • Christianity Downloads
    • Family Downloads
    • Food & Cooking Downloads
    • Hobbies & Crafts Downloads
    • Learning Downloads
  • Blog
  • Family
    • Parenting
    • Holidays & Celebrations
    • Marriage
    • Kids activities
      • Kids Crafts
      • Christmas Crafts for Toddlers & Preschoolers
      • Christmas Crafts for Kids
      • Christmas Crafts for Tweens & Teens
    • Learning
      • Reading & Writing
      • STEM
  • Faith
    • Bible Study
    • Encouragement
  • Recipes
    • Comfort Food
    • Eating after Bariatric Surgery
    • Gluten-Free
    • Recipes for Foodie Kids
    • Quick & Easy Weeknight Meals
  • Health
    • Mental Health
      • Hobbies & Crafts
      • Self-Care
    • Physical Health
      • Bariatric Surgery
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • SHOP
  • RECIPES
  • FAMILY
  • FAITH
  • HEALTH
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    See More:   Comfort Food Copycat Recipes Desserts Gluten-Free Holiday Meals Recipes for Beginners

    Last Modified: Oct 9, 2022 by Tara Ziegmont 15 Comments

    How to Make Traditional Flan (Also Known as Creme Caramel)

    4FacebookMessenger313PinterestTwitterWhatsAppEmail
    317
    SHARES
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    A close up of flan on a platePin

    This is the best simple and easy flan (or crème caramel) you'll ever taste! Recipe is easy to follow. Traditional, classic flan is incredibly smooth and creamy with a thin caramel sauce.

    There is one dessert that I can almost never pass by. Actually, now that I write that out, there are a few I can't pass by.

    Peanut butter pie. Flan or crème caramel. Cheesecake. If all three on on a dessert menu, I am really stuck.

    Anyway.

    I joined a group called The Secret Recipe Club after my friend Mary Tweeted something about it. The idea is that you are assigned a food blog every month and you make a recipe from it.

    We really like to try new recipes and new foods, so I signed up.

    This month, I was assigned Eliot's Eats (link no longer available), a site that focuses on eating whole foods that were grown or raised locally. After looking through a few pages of recipes, the one that spoke to me most was for custard.

    The author explains that her grandmother used to give everyone custard when they were sick. I don't totally understand that tradition, as my mother always withheld milk and eggs when we were sick, but that's irrelevant. I love custard, so I knew this is the recipe we'd try.

    I'd never attempted to make custard before, and I was excited.

    I followed a link in the post and learned how to turn plain old custard into flan by boiling a cup of sugar and putting it into the dishes before the custard. Perfect!

    Also, Eliot's recipe calls for scalded milk. I had absolutely no idea what scalded milk was or how to prepare it. I searched for it on Swagbucks, and I learned that you heat the milk up to 180°F, just until it begins to get a frothy layer of bubbles around the edge. The more I read about scalding milk, however, the more sources said that you only need to do it if you're using unpasteurized milk. I don't use unpasteurized milk, so I skipped the scalding step.

    My flan came out very nicely.

    How to make classic flan

    1. Boil a kettle of water. You will need this later.
    2. Preheat the oven to 350º.
    3. Prepare the syrup. Add 1 cup of plain white sugar and water to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Keep it boiling until it turns into a nicely browned caramel sauce. It will be thin, but it will definitely turn brown rather than the colorless sugar water.
    4. Prepare the ramekins. Divide the caramel sauce between 4 ramekins. Ramekins are individual-sized dishes that can be put in the oven. That link goes to the ones that I personally have. I like them because they are good to go from the oven to the fridge to the dishwasher, no problem. Swirl the caramel around so that it coats the bottom and halfway up the sides of the dishes.
    5. Prepare the custard. In a large mixing bowl, slowly beat milk and eggs together. Add the vanilla, remaining ½ cup of sugar, and salt. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
    6. Pour the custard mixture into the ramekins. Sprinkle the caramel sauce in each ramekin with nutmeg then divide the custard mixture between the 4 dishes.
    7. Bake the flan. Fill a large baking dish ⅓ of the way with the water you boiled earlier. I use a 9x13. Set the custard cups into the hot water. It should go about ½ way up the sides of the ramekins. Bake the flan at 350º for 40 minutes to one hour, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
    8. Refrigerate the flan until you are ready to serve. Flan is best served cold.
    9. To serve turn the flan out onto a small, shallow dish with a rim. The custard should have formed a thin layer on top and it should flow down the sides, making a puddle around the custard on the dish.

    If you liked this flan recipe, you should check out my pumpkin flan recipe. It is very different but just as tasty!

    A close up of flan on a plate with caramel

    Flan (Also Known as Crème Caramel)

    This is the best simple and easy flan (or crème caramel) you'll ever taste! Recipe is easy to follow. Traditional, classic flan is incredibly smooth and creamy with a thin caramel sauce.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 1 hr
    Chilling time 3 hrs
    Total Time 4 hrs 20 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 309 kcal

    Equipment

    • Ramekins

    Ingredients
      

    • 1-½ cups granulated sugar divided
    • ¼ cups water
    • 4 cups milk
    • 4 eggs beaten
    • 1 vanilla extract
    • pinch salt
    • nutmeg for sprinkling on top

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350º. Boil a pot or tea kettle of water. You'll need it below.
    • Add 1 cup sugar and water to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Keep boiling until it turns into a nicely browned caramel sauce.
    • Divide the caramel sauce between 4 ramekins. Swirl the caramel around so that it coats the bottom and halfway up the sides of the dishes.
    • Slowly beat milk and eggs together. Add vanilla, remaining ½ cup sugar, and salt. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
    • Sprinkle nutmeg on top of the caramel, then carefully pour the custard mixture into the ramekins. Fill a large baking dish about ⅓ full with the hot water you boiled earlier.
    • Set the custard cups into the dish of hot water. (The water should go about halfway up the sides of the custard cups.)
    • Bake at 350°F until a thin knife inserted in the center of the custard comes out clean, normally 40 minutes to one hour.
    • Refrigerate flan until ready to serve.
    • To serve, turn custard upside down onto a dish and remove ramekin. The caramel should make a thin layer on top, with caramel pouring down the sides of the custard. Serve chilled.

    Notes

    You will need 4 ramekins for this recipe. Ramekins are individual-sized baking dishes that can be put in the oven. That link goes to the ones that I personally have. I like them because they are good to go from the oven to the fridge to the dishwasher, no problem.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 188mg | Sodium: 168mg | Potassium: 383mg | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 633IU | Calcium: 300mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe? Pin it for later!Follow @FeelsLikeHome or tag #FeelsLikeHomeBlog!
    4FacebookMessenger313PinterestTwitterWhatsAppEmail
    317
    SHARES

    More Desserts

    • The Best Skillet Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe
    • How to Make the Best Pumpkin Dump Cake
    • Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
    • Pancake Tacos

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Robyn Wright of RobynsOnlineWorld.com says

      August 29, 2011 at 7:42 am

      This is one of Hubby's favorite desserts - I'm not a fan - but maybe I will try making this for him once.

      Reply
    2. Angel says

      August 29, 2011 at 7:48 am

      OH my word I can tell already this site would make me fatter then I already am.. I am not a custard girl but I can flat put away some caramels..

      Reply
    3. Chris says

      August 29, 2011 at 8:41 am

      Oh my....I shouldn't have looked at this before breakfast/coffee. I want to replace my cereal with this! Looks fantastic.

      Reply
    4. Mindy says

      August 29, 2011 at 12:16 pm

      Flan has been on my list of things to try to make forever! I absolutely love it, but I'm a little intimidated by it. I think you've inspired me to try it out finally!

      Reply
    5. [email protected] says

      August 29, 2011 at 12:26 pm

      I've never made flan, but I want to now more than ever. Great SRC post! The flan looks amazing!

      Reply
    6. BigFatBaker says

      August 29, 2011 at 1:14 pm

      Your flan is mouthwatering! My bf has been asking me to make this for a while now. Looks like I should hop on it and make yours!

      Reply
    7. Elsie says

      August 29, 2011 at 2:01 pm

      Thanks for the recipe! I love flans, and I my friend makes a great one... when I want one, I go to his house! LOL! 🙂 Maybe I can make my own now!

      Reply
    8. Eliot says

      August 29, 2011 at 3:56 pm

      Finally, I got around to commenting! Sorry it took most of the day. Thanks for the kind words. I think that the heirloom recipe called for scalded milk because they were most likely using raw milk "back in the day."
      Interesting point about your mom with holding eggs and milk. Come to think of it, I do wonder why it was always custard!
      I'm glad you got my blog. Thanks!

      Reply
    9. Lisa~~ says

      August 29, 2011 at 5:26 pm

      Welcome to the SRC. Great recipe and the flan looks delicious.

      If you haven't already, I'd love for you to check out my Group 'A" ~ SRC recipe this month: Cilantro Lime Chicken

      Lisa~~
      Cook Lisa Cook

      Reply
    10. kita says

      August 29, 2011 at 7:47 pm

      Beautiful job on this month SRC post! This flan is gorgeous.

      Reply
    11. Manu says

      August 29, 2011 at 8:47 pm

      What a great idea to turn custard into a flan! It is my husband's favourite dessert! Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe!

      Reply
    12. Rhonda says

      August 30, 2011 at 12:07 am

      Like you I could never pass up a flan! I've always wanted to try making my own, you just inspired me.

      Reply
    13. Avanika (Yumsilicious Bakes) says

      August 30, 2011 at 3:22 pm

      I love creme caramel. This looks amazing. Great pick 🙂

      Reply
    14. cindy says

      August 31, 2011 at 1:01 am

      I've never had flan, I've made creme brulee and liked it. They make such a statement, I like a dessert the shouts--this is dessert! Have a great day.

      Reply
    15. marla says

      September 03, 2011 at 10:12 am

      This flan looks amazing! Awesome to be in the Secret Recipe Club with you. Here is my post for September 🙂 http://su.pr/1Sizv9
      Also: I would love if you added this and any other links to my "Happy Post" today. http://su.pr/1bZ8fp

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Tara.

    Harrisburg PA mom blogger Tara Ziegmont
    I am passionate about helping women to care for themselves and their families physically, emotionally, and spiritually by making time for what matters most through a combination of delectable recipes, Christian inspiration, and family fun. If you're tired of feeling so weary and uninspired, you're in the right place. I'm so glad you're here!
    Read more about me...

    Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram LinkedIn email me subscribe

    Popular Recipes

    • Cheeseburger Soup from Taste of Home
    • Cracker Barrel Copycat Fried Apples
    • Sweet Balsamic Pork Roast in the Instant Pot
    • Couldn't Be Easier Cherry Pie

    Food with an Instant Pot in the background

    AS SEEN ON

    a list of the websites where Tara Ziegmont has been featured

    Popular Bible Studies

    • A Grateful Heart - 2 week printable study
    • 10 Bible Verses on Anger
    • 13 Bible Verses on Disappointment
    • 50 Bible Verses Every Christian Should Know
    • 10 Bible Verses to Overcome Worry

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions

    As seen on

    a list of the websites where Tara Ziegmont has been featured

    Contact Tara


    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure policy.

    Copyright © 2022 Feels Like Home Blog

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Do not sell my personal information.
    SettingsAccept
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT