Classic Vanilla Custard Flan
Silky smooth custard with a golden caramel topping, made with simple ingredients and a gentle bake. This Puerto Rican-inspired recipe, ready in about 60 minutes, layers egg yolks, granulated sugar, water into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 220 calories and feeds 8, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
The roasting pan we’d use for this → Best Roasting Pans for 2026: Racks, Handles & Sizes for the Holiday Bird
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare a water bath by placing a large roasting pan on the oven rack and filling it with 1 inch of hot water.
- Step 2: In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water. Cook over medium heat without stirring until sugar dissolves and turns golden amber, about 5 minutes. Immediately pour the caramel into a 9-inch round baking dish, swirling to coat the bottom evenly. Let cool for 2 minutes.
- Step 3: In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt until smooth. Pour the mixture over the cooled caramel in the baking dish.
- Step 4: Place the baking dish in the water bath and bake for 50 minutes until set but still slightly jiggly in the center. Remove from water bath, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.








