Best Flan Recipe – Gluten Free – in Every Flavor from Chef Caesar

While recently on vacation in Cabo, I tasted the best flan I have ever had! I used to hate flan because I had only tasted it in the United States where some restaurants use a package mix that contains gelatin. Meanwhile, I developed a recipe for flan using only evaporated milk not too long ago, without any gelatin. It was much better. However, this latest recipe is amazing! The recipe was given to me by Chef, Caesar, at El Molina restaurant, at the Hyatt Ziva in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. (Soon, I’ll share more about this all-inclusive resort in regards to gluten free menus.)

Carla Spacher & Chef Caesar of Hyatt Ziva Cabo:

Flavored Flan:

You can make traditional flan or make different flavors. Learn how to make them all including traditional, chocolate, coffee, lemon, etc.

The Best Flan Recipe – Traditional Mexican Flan in Every Flavor

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours, 45 minutes

A recipe for the richest and best flan you'll ever have! Plus additional flaovrs. All from Chef Caesar from El Molina restaurant at Hyatt Ziva Cabo.

Ingredients:

7 ounces gluten-free cream cheese* (Philadelphia brand) (190 g)
7 large eggs
13.5 oz. sweetened condensed milk (or dolce de leche) (380 g)
1 12-oz. can evaporated milk (355 ml)
1-1/2 cups whole milk (355 ml)
1/2 to 1 cup** granulated sugar (I used superfine/bakers' sugar, not powdered) (125 to 250 g**)
Flavoring of choice, if any (See instructions - (optional)

Instructions:

Mix the eggs, evaporated milk, cream cheese, whole milk, and condensed milk in a blender.
Add desired flavoring such as melted chocolate, cocoa, instant coffee, lemon juice, vanilla extract, puréed fruit, to name a few, and combine. (Just be sure your chocolate or other ingredients are gluten-free.) Set it aside.
Sprinkle the sugar in a 9-inch (22 cm) spring-form pan. Cook on the stovetop, over low heat until caramelized/becomes caramel in color. Set aside to cool until firm.
Pour custard over the caramelized sugar.
Add boiling water to baking pan. Add spring form pan to the water and bake at 180c for 25-30 minutes. (The water should come about halfway up the sides of the pan.)
Remove from the water and set aside to reach room temperature, about 1 hour or more. Refrigerate until cold, overnight or at least 2 hours.
When ready to serve, remove outside ring from pan and place upside down on a serving plate. Slice and serve.
If you allow your guests to serve themselves, consider garnishing the flan with whatever you used for flavoring. Add a tiny bit of sweetened whipped cream topped with shaved chocolate, a slice of lemon, vanilla beans, or fresh berries.

Tips

*Xanthan Gum is derived from corn. However, manufacturers claim that because it so heavily processed that no corn remains. However, if you are allergic to corn you may wish to avoid it. Philadelphia brand cream cheese contains xanthan gum.

**The more sugar you add, the more liquid you will make. When making far in advance, consider adding additional sugar to keep the flan moist.

Be aware that flavorings will effect the texture of the flan. When you add pureed fruit, the flan becomes lighter and fluffy. Just add a little flavor until you can taste it.

If you only have evaporated milk on hand, try this recipe instead. Or you can use half evaporated milk and condensed milk.

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View Comments

Heather B says:

December 1, 2023 at 9:42 pm

We tried this recipe and it was still completely liquid after baking for just 30 minutes as described. Many other recipes say one hour to cook. Any idea why this didn’t work?
- Carla says:
  
  December 6, 2023 at 12:18 pm
  
  Heather,
  
  A chef in Mexico gave me this recipe. Therefore, I can’t answer your question. Sorry. I will definitely try it myself, and have a meaning to at that point, I’ll update my findings if it doesn’t turn out well.
  
  Did you use any substitutions or low-fat cream cheese, etc.?
  
  Lunch should always be baked until it doesn’t jiggle much and a knife. Insert the center proves that the custard has begin to set instead of liquid.
  
  Cooling for overnight in the refrigerator is best.
  
  Carla
Jennifer Stallard says:

June 7, 2016 at 3:31 pm

How much of the desired flavoring should you add? If you add coffee, do you reduce any of the liquid. Same question for fruit -- since fruit has liquid do you have to adjust? I have no idea how much to add for any of these -- I'm not that experienced of a cook to know if it would be tablespoons (cocoa, coffee) for example.
Thanks!
- Gluten Free Recipes says:
  
  June 7, 2016 at 3:56 pm
  
  Jennifer,
  
  See the tips section. You wouldn't add coffee, but instant coffee so that it would not add any liquid. As stated, if you add such things as fresh fruit, it will change the texture of the flan. When I had Caeser's blackberry flan it was fluffy, as in whipped. I haven't tried it yet. So, I would suggest adding just enough berries so that you can taste it, but not enough to make the batter liquidy. Start with three berries and add more as you go. All berries vary depending upon hows juicy they are. You can probably more easily add jam than fresh fruit as it is thicker. If using instant coffee, try one heaping teaspoon. Then add more, to taste. Does this help you? If not, please let me know.
  
  Carla