What do you get when you combine traditional flan and cream cheese? You guessed it, cream cheese flan, which is like a cross between cheesecake and flan, two of my favorite desserts.
It’s like flan, the classic caramel coated custard, only thicker, denser, and creamier. This cream cheese flan recipe is really easy too using sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and cream cheese. It's a great make-ahead dessert.
One key to making perfect cream cheese flan is to bake it in a water bath so it cooks gently and evenly.
The trickiest part of flan is making the caramel but it's not hard if you take your time and let the sugar melt and turn a rich golden color.
You can make cream cheese flan in individual custard cups, a 9-inch round ovenproof casserole dish, or a loaf pan from which you can create slices of cream cheese flan, whatever you prefer.
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Cream Cheese Flan Recipe
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup water
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
5 eggs
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place eight 6-ounce ovenproof custard cups, a 9-inch glass ovenproof casserole dish or a loaf pan in a large roasting pan and set aside.
The first step is to make the caramel. In a small, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, combine sugar and water, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium high and boil without stirring, until the liquid becomes deep golden brown and smells like caramel. To prevent the sugar from crystallizing creating grainy caramel, brush down the sides of the saucepan with a wet pastry brush as the mixture boils. This will take time (12-20 minutes) so be patient.
Quickly pour the hot caramel into your custard cups, casserole dish, or loaf pan, tilting to coat the bottom and sides. Set aside.
Next make the custard. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until they are well incorporated. Beat in condensed and evaporated milks, and vanilla until smooth. Pour into caramel coated pan dish(es).
Transfer the roasting pan to the oven. Pour hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the custard filled dish(es). Be careful not to splash water onto the custard.
Bake until center of your cream cheese flan is just set but still jiggly about 45 to 60 minutes. Smaller dishes will take lest time than a large one. (The custard will set as it cools.)
Remove from the oven and place on wire rack to cool for an hour. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator until chilled through (at least 4 hours).
To unmold, run a small sharp knife around edges of the custard dish(es). Invert large flan onto a rimmed serving platter and individual flans onto dessert plates. If the custard doesn't want to come out, set the bottom of the dish in very hot water for several seconds to help loosen it.
Drizzle any remaining caramel syrup over the custard.
Yield: 8 servings of cream cheese flan
Chocolate Cream Cheese Flan Variation
Add 3 ounces melted semisweet or dark chocolate and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon into the custard mixture and beat until well combined. Pour into dish(es) and bake as directed above.
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You may need:
Pyrex Custard Cups
for making your cream cheese flanAnd if you want flan in a hurry, there's always Quick and Easy Flan from Jell-o
. It's not as good as from scratch, but a lot easier when time is short!
