No-fail creamy leche flan recipe that will give you smooth and silky, rich and decadent, bubble-free leche flan every time.
(Looking for other scrumptious Filipino desserts? Try Brazo de Mercedes Cupcakes or Ube Filipino Purple Yam Cake. And this Flan Cupcake Recipe is a delightful no bake no steam version of leche flan.)
In the Philippines, there are two types of leche flans (or crème caramels) – one that’s light and airy, the other smooth, dense and creamy.
This leche flan recipe is the latter – made of only egg yolks and baked in a water bath, the flan is rich, silky, an absolute dream.
Beloved Filipino dessert
Leche flan or crème caramel is a custard dessert with a layer of clear caramel sauce on top. It can be steamed or baked; this is the baked version.
I think all Filipino families have their own version of leche flan.
My maternal grandma always made the airy kind while my paternal grandma made the rich kind. Both are great, it’s all a matter of preference.
And I just happen to prefer the rich kind (sorry, Lola Naning). The kind that’s so creamy you can slurp it. The kind that doesn’t have any air bubbles in it. The kind that jiggles just right but maintains its shape. That kind.
Filipinos associate leche flan with 1) Christmas and 2) any special occasion. It’s really not the kind of dessert you make out of the blue because you feel like it. Using 10 egg yolks and milk, it’s borderline impractical to make on a whim.
Related: Leftover Egg White Recipes – 15 Ways to Use Leftover Egg Whites!
How to make leche flan smooth, creamy and bubble-free
So how do you achieve that rich, luxurious leche flan texture? Here are some tips for creamy leche flan success:
- Do not vigorously whisk or stir your ingredients. Gentle does it. You don’t want to form any extra air bubbles.
- Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer
or cheese cloth as you gently and carefully transfer the mixture into your baking dish. Some air bubbles will float up to the top. Gently scoop them out with a spoon. - Bake your leche flan in a water bath. Put your baking pan in a roasting pan filled with hot water that comes up to your baking pan halfway.
or 
as you gently and carefully transfer the mixture into your baking dish. Some air bubbles will float up to the top. Gently scoop them out with a spoon. 
filled with hot water that comes up to your baking pan halfway.Related: Dreamy Creamy Meyer Lemon Pie
How to know when leche flan is done baking
Now that you’ve done that, how do you know when it’s done baking?
Every oven is different (an oven thermometer
is an awesome, inexpensive thing to have) so check your flan a few minutes before it’s supposed to be done baking.
You’ll know it’s done when the top has turned a light amber, the sides are starting to firm up but the middle still looks jiggly (but not soupy). It’s quite similar to how you check for cheesecake doneness.
If you think your leche flan is getting too brown but still needs to bake a little, loosely cover the top with aluminum foil and continue baking.
Related: The Best Lemon Cheesecake. Ever.
How to caramelize sugar for leche flan
Caramelizing sugar is the one single step I always have a problem with. It’s not hard to burn the sugar!
So what I’ve learned is to watch it but leave it alone. This means don’t walk away but also resist the urge to stir. In fact, don’t.
What you want to do is gently swirl your pan once the sugar dissolves so it doesn’t burn. And when it turns a beautiful golden colour, you’re done.
I’ve also had more success caramelizing sugar directly on my baking pan
instead of a sauce pan. I know baking pans are not built for stovetops but I make an exception in this case.
- Place sugar in baking pan
- Shake so sugar is evenly distributed
- Place baking pan on stove
- Watch then swirl (remember to use a pot holder!)
- Done
Related: Quick and Easy Salted Caramel Sauce
The best no-fail leche flan recipe
Having made this leche flan many times over the years, I can honestly say it’s the best leche flan recipe for the richest, creamiest, leche flan your guests will go crazy for.
A little mixing, less than an hour in the oven, a few hours in the fridge and you’ll be rewarded with leche flan that’s so good it will make you feel like Christmas any time of the year. Hope you try it!
Related: Filipino Egg Pie Recipe
More Filipino Christmas recipes
If you’re planning a Filipino-style Christmas party, you’d want these in your menu:
- Pancit canton is everyone’s favourite Filipino noodle dish.
- While apple buko salad is a fresh take on a classic Filipino holiday dessert.
All the must-try Filipino dessert recipes are here.
Creamy Leche Flan Recipe (Filipino-Style Crème Caramel)
Ingredients
For the Caramel Sauce:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
For the Flan:
- 10 pcs egg yolks from large eggs room temperature
- 1 10-oz can condensed milk
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp fresh lime juice see notes
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Make the caramel first by dissolving ½ cup granulated sugar over low/medium heat. Leave alone, swirling occasionally to ensure the sugar does not harden and/or burn (see post for tips).
- Once it turns a light golden colour, remove from heat and spread evenly on your baking pan (see notes). Set aside and work on the flan.
- Whisk the 10 egg yolks before adding the can of condensed milk. Stir until thoroughly combined.
- Add 1 cup evaporated milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon fresh lime juice and mix well. Add a pinch of salt and give the mixture a final stir.
- Transfer your mixture into your baking pan (on top of the caramel) by straining it through a fine mesh sieve or a cheese cloth. Gently and carefully pour it so as not to create any air bubbles.
- Place your baking dish in a roasting pan and put the roasting pan in your preheated oven. Then fill the roasting pan with hot water until it reaches halfway up the side of your baking pan. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the flan is set (firm but still jiggly; see post). If you see that the top is getting too brown, loosely cover with aluminum foil and continue baking.
- Take the flan out of the oven and cool slightly before refrigerating for at least 3 hours.
- Run a sharp knife around the edges of your pan to loosen the flan before inverting into a platter to serve (see notes).
Video
Notes
- Leche flan is traditionally made with dayap, a local key lime variety. If you can get hold of that, use it. Otherwise, lime juice works just fine.
- It is also traditionally baked in a llanera which is an aluminum mold/baking pan but thinner. I use an 8×8 baking pan. If you want thicker leche flan, use a smaller pan but make sure to adjust the baking time.
- I sometimes have issues getting the flan out of the baking pan. So if I’m not serving it to company I don’t bother inverting it into a serving platter; we just scoop it out and eat it rustic style. It tastes just as great. But if you do have company and your edges are all uneven as a result of your attempts to take it out of the dish don’t worry – just slice the edges off or slice them into bite-size pieces. Nobody will ever know. The serving size of 24 is based on cutting the 8×8 inch flan into bite-sized squares. This dessert is very rich so a little goes a long way.
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only.
Happy baking!
What do you think of this leche flan recipe? Tell me about it in the comments section below. I’d love to hear from you.
Amber simon
My caramel was not enough to cover my pan. Perhaps use 1 cup next time?
Jolina
Hi Amber, you can make as much caramel as you like 🙂 Especially if you’re using a different or bigger pan.
Mira
Hi,
1 can condensed milk is around 305 ml or 397g where i live. is that okay? when we convert 10 oz to a creamy liquid such as condensed milk it is only around 219 ml or a little less than 1 cup.
Which brand do you use and what is the volume in ml?
Thanks for this awesome recipe <3
Jolina
Hi Mira, where I live, we can only get condensed milk in 300-ml cans (using the conversion toggle on the recipe card, this is the equivalent of a 10-oz can). So the condensed milk you get there is very close to what we have here. You should be fine 🙂 The brand we use is Eagle.
Mira
@Jolina, thanks for sharing! I came up with that conversion assuming that ounce is a unit of weight and not of volume, otherwise we are talking about fluid ounces? Here we have a can of 305ml = 397g. Which is 14 oz when converted. 🙂
Joe Torrez
You’re right about leche flan being there in almost all pinoy occasions. And that’s not a bad thing at all. This recipe is great!
Jolina
Glad you like it!
Jordan Maurico
this leche flan recipe is slightly different than the ones we bought from the Philippines. much tastier, the sweetness is just right and my kids loved it. kudos to you!
Jolina
Hi Jordan, thanks! Happy to hear you and your kids like it.
wes
do you use sweetened condensed milk for this recipe? my partners mother is filipino and this is her favorite dessert. i wanted to make it for her for christmas but want to make sure it is perfect
Jolina
Hi Wes, yes I use sweetened condensed milk. Have fun making it! I’m sure you’ll rock it 🙂
wes
thank you! i have another question, do you put any water in the pan with the sugar to dissolve it? or just caramelize the sugar alone? im worried about it burning
Jolina
I don’t put water with the sugar. And I completely understand your concerns; I have issues with this as well! See the post for some tips. Hope they help!
Vicky
Hello , i want to try it but i need to know if
i can use steamer instead.
Thank you
Jolina
Hi Vicky, steaming is the traditional way to make leche flan so yes, you can steam it. I just don’t have personal experience doing it because I always bake mine. Just make sure your flan is cooked all the way through before removing it, but still slightly jiggly when gently shaken. Enjoy!
Benita
What is temperature though?
Jolina
Hi Benita, preheat oven to 350F.
Rodney
thanks for this wonderful recipe! i’ve tried your creamy leche flan recipe and my kids are delighted! truly an awesome recipe. thanks a lot!
Jolina
Happy to hear that Rodney! Glad you and the kids liked it.
EKA
Hello! What I did is 1 can condensed milk(eagle brand is the best) plus 1 can of evap(carnation brand) and 9 large egg yolks plus 1 whole egg because I accidentally drop it, lol…and the rest I follow the recipe and procedure…OOHH! IT’S HEAVENLY DELICIOUSI will surely sell this on Christmas..My first time try is perfectly done…thanks for sharing
Jolina
Hi Eka! Glad you liked it! I use Eagle Brand too 🙂 It’s going to be a hit at Christmas for sure.
vicky
Can i steam instead of baking it.