All Time Favorite Dessert, Leche Flan! – KITCHENATICS – Kitchen Products, Cookware, Baking Tools (2024)

FAQs

Why do Filipinos love leche flan? ›

Leche flan will always be a hit in Filipino celebrations not only because of its delicious and sweet taste paired with a smooth creamy texture but also because it never fails to evoke all the pleasant memories that you have built when there's a gathering with family and friends.

However, custard (and therefore flan) is made with eggs and sweetened milk alongside the cream, and flan itself includes caramel. On the other hand, pudding is made with sugar and some kind of starch to thicken the mixture (usually flour or cornstarch).

Leche Flan, a creamy and indulgent custard dessert, holds a special place in the hearts of Filipinos. This beloved sweet treat, with its silky texture and caramelized flavor, has become a staple in Filipino cuisine and is often served during special occasions and gatherings.

“Leche Flan” is the Filipino version of Crème brûlée and is also known as Crème caramel. The main difference with this Filipino dessert is that leche flan is Jello-like in consistency, while crème brûlée is pudding-like. Another difference is how the leche flan is cooked.

Spaniards brought flan to Mexico during Spanish conquest and occupation. Since then it's become a truly beloved dish among Mexicans in all regions of the country. Most people consider flan a dessert, but more and more people are finding excuses to eat it at all times of the day.

Water bath – cooking in a water bath as directed allows for even heat distribution. Don't over-bake – Overcooked flan can turn rubbery and will be more likely to crack. Remove it from the oven when it still has a slight jiggle in the center.

Leche flan is a baked dessert made from eggs and milk with a caramelised top. Similar to its French counterpart creme caramel and Japanese counterpart purin, Leche flan is a classic Filipino dish adopted from the European creme caramel.

Texture and Consistency

Flan: Also known as crème caramel or caramel pudding, the body of a typical flan is eggy and gelatin-like, with plenty of jiggle room. Or is it wiggle room? It's essentially baked custard—eggs, gelatin, vanilla, and cream or milk.

A flan, in British cuisine, is an egg-based dish with an open, rimmed pastry or sponge base containing a sweet or savoury filling. Examples are bacon and egg flan and custard tart.

In the Philippines, crème caramel is known as "leche flan" (an anglicization of Spanish flan de leche, literally "milk flan"), which is a heavier version of the Spanish dish, made with condensed milk and more egg yolks.

What race is flan from? ›

The flan's history is traced back to ancient Rome when egg surpluses were transformed into custards to produce both sweet and savory tastes. The Spaniards took it to America, where it became a delicacy. Due to the Mexican's heavy influence on the recipe evolved there and became today's sweet staple.

Both custard and pudding are sweet, goopy desserts made mostly from cream and then cooked. However, custard (and therefore flan) is made with eggs and sweetened milk alongside the cream, and flan itself includes caramel.

That said, creme caramel is often made with a combination of whole egg and egg yolks while flan uses only whole eggs and often doesn't contain sweetened or condensed milk. However, the end results are desserts that are nearly identical in taste and texture and the different names are used interchangeably.

The main difference between the two is that creme brulee is topped with a layer of sugar that caramelizes under a broiler or torch, resulting in a crunchy, burnt sugar topping. Egg custard does not have this additional layer of sugar, but some recipes call for a dusting of nutmeg or cinnamon.

Leche flan tops the list of Filipino desserts because of its soft and rich texture. Interestingly, leche flan is the Filipino version of creme caramel. However, leche flan uses condensed and evaporated milk as its base.

The flan's history is traced back to ancient Rome when egg surpluses were transformed into custards to produce both sweet and savory tastes. The Spaniards took it to America, where it became a delicacy. Due to the Mexican's heavy influence on the recipe evolved there and became today's sweet staple.

Combine evaporated milk, condensed milk, egg yolks, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Stir lightly to prevent bubbles or foam from forming. Strain batter slowly into the caramel-lined flan mold. Cover with aluminum foil.

Leche flan is the Filipino version of French creme caramel. This easy to make custard is slowly baked in a water bath and chilled overnight before eating.