Creamy Whole Eggs Leche Flan

4.91 from 11 votes

This is the easiest Leche Flan you’ll ever make made with whole eggs! Creamy, smooth flan covered with golden caramel baked in an oven from start to finish.

Course Dessert

Keyword caramel custard, caramel pudding, Crème caramel, Filipino Leche Flan, whole eggs flan recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Servings servings

Calories 219kcal

Author Mella

Ingredients

Caramel

¼ cup white sugar
½ teaspoon lemon juice
1 ½ tablespoon water

Flan

4 large eggs
1 cup condensed milk
1 cup evaporated milk see note 3
¼ cup heavy cream see note 4
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Caramelize the sugar (2 ways)

Place a damp kitchen towel on the bottom of a large roasting pan. Fold in half for thickness. Place a 7 inch round pan (made of steel or aluminum) on top. Combine all the ingredients of the caramel in the round pan. Stir with whisk or spatula.
Oven method: Place pan in the middle of the oven and set the temperature to 170c/325f. Bake using BROIL MODE (see note 1) for 20 to 25 minutes until sugar is caramelized and golden in color. Start checking at 18 mins to make sure it doesn't burn. Note: The same oven temperature will be used for the flan.
Stove-top method: Place the pan directly onto a stove over medium heat. Using a kitchen tong, swirl every so often until it liquefies and the color turns into a color amber.
While the caramel is still hot, quickly swirl to coat the bottom and sides of the pan evenly. Use thick oven gloves to prevent burning your hands.

Flan/Custard

Combine all ingredients of the flan in a blender (see note 2). Blend on high until no white streaks are visible. Strain the mixture through a sieve with muslin cloth directly into a pitcher. I did this 2 times for a smoother flan texture.
Pour the flan mixture into the caramel lined pan. Carefully pour hot water into the roasting pan, about halfway up the side of the round pan. Don't use boiling water.
Set oven to BAKE MODE (upper and lower heat symbol). Place the roasting pan into the already preheated oven (no need to adjust the temperature). Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. The center should be almost set, but will still be a little bit jiggly. Do not overcook. You can start checking the doneness at about 35 mins. SEE NOTE 6 FOR THE STEAMING METHOD.
Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Let the flan sit in the hot water for 10 minutes to continue cooking. Remove and let it cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Loosen the sides of the flan using a butter knife then invert onto a serving plate. Serve and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Broil mode - the symbol is the zigzag line at the top of a square with the fan symbol underneath. Check after 18 minutes to prevent overcooking.
Make without a blender - to ensure that the eggs will easily blend with the rest of the ingredients, whisk it first. Add the rest of the ingredients then stir until no white streaks are visible. Strain two times to remove the air bubbles and egg bits. Don’t skip this step.
Evaporated milk substitute: You can use fresh full-fat milk or half and half instead of evaporated milk. If the cream is not available, increase milk to 1 ½ cup.
Heavy Cream - can be substituted with evaporated milk but flan will be less rich. Use the same amount as stated in the recipe.
For a much sweeter flan, use the whole can of condensed milk. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons more sugar for the caramel with 1 more tablespoon of water.
Steaming Method - Cover pan/llanera with a foil. Make sure the batter is not touching the foil. Bring steamer to a boil. Place the Leche flan in the steamer and cook for 30 minutes over LOW HEAT. Using high heat will cause the flan to have an uneven texture and bubbles.
Shelf-life and storage: Keep refrigerated covered with a plastic wrap until ready to serve. It should last in the fridge for 3 to 5 days but I highly recommend consuming it within 3 days for the best texture.

Nutrition