Have you ever heard of flan? It’s a custard dessert with caramel on top that has been in different cuisines for years now. But although the base ingredients are the same, different cuisines created their ways to make flan.

In addition, there are other variations, including the ones with coffee and mango. In this article, we’ll explore the different ways to make the ever-popular flan.

1. Classic Caramel Flan

The classic caramel flan originated in France. The creamy part is made from egg yolks, sugar, and cream, while the caramel is melted sugar. The melted sugar is added to the ramekins first before the creamy custard mixture, and baked in a water bath.

This delightful dessert is usually compared with crème brulée. But instead of the melted caramel on top, crème brulée has a hardened sugar that everyone likes to crack using the back of the spoon. But before melting the sugar using a torch or broiler, they make sure that the custard already settles.

2. Crema Catalana

End your lunch or dinner with crema catalana or Spanish flan. It’s the same as the caramel flan but this dessert uses a few variations from the classic.

For starters, instead of using egg yolks, crema catalana uses whole eggs. And instead of cream, milk is used, and they also add sugar. However, the twist is that they add liqueur or citrus zest, and cinnamon to add more flavour. Additionally, they put raspberries on top to add colour and texture.

Similar to the classic flan, crema catalana is also cooked using a water bath. This technique keeps the custard silky and creamy. So if you want to try a flan that has a bit more flavour than the caramel one, you should order this when you visit Spanish restaurants.

3. Leche Flan

Leche flan is a popular dessert in the Philippines that has always been a part of festivities, birthdays, and holidays. Aside from eating it alone, leche flan is also used as an ingredient in another famous dessert, halo-halo.

As compared to the classic caramel flan, leche flan is made with condensed milk, egg yolks, and evaporated milk. The combination of these ingredients makes a silky and smooth custard texture. And similar to the classic, brown sugar is also melted at the bottom of the container, so that the caramel goes on top when served.

Originally, Filipinos used carabao’s (water buffalo) milk to create leche flan, but they changed it as years went by due to the unavailability of the said milk.

4. Dulce de Leche Flan

Taste the combination of the classic flan and deep caramel flavour in dulce de leche. It’s a popular sweet treat in Latin American countries. Although it doesn’t look similar to the traditional flan, the taste is similar. It’s a bit similar to spreads due to its thick yet gooey consistency.

Aside from being a dessert, it’s also used as a topping for toast, pancakes, and waffles. In addition, it’s a common flavour for other sweets like cakes, ice creams, and other pastries.

The base of this flan is the dulce de leche. It’s made by slowly heating condensed milk until it becomes brown and sticky. From there, the classic flan ingredients are added.

5. Japanese Purin

Have you tried the Japanese Purin (プリン)? Purin comes from the word pudding. Its difference from the classic flan is that it uses a combination of heavy cream and milk which results in a more dense consistency. However, although the custard is a bit firmer than usual, the light caramel sauce makes up for its weight, making it a balanced dessert, texture-wise.

Additionally, even though the custard is a bit dense, Purin still jingles when you shake it. It’s been a popular dessert since the Meiji period, and has been present in celebrations that’s why people feel nostalgic whenever they taste it again.

6. Coconut Flan

In parts of the Caribbean and Southeast Asia, they create another twist with the classic flan by adding coconut milk to the custard mixture, while adding coconut flakes on top. Since the coconut and caramel blend well, this flan variation has also been popular.

7. Coffee Flan

Are you a coffee enthusiast? This flan twist will surely get your attention. Since the caramel has a slightly bitter taste, why not add coffee that blends well with its sweetness?

Aside from the basic egg, milk, and sugar ingredients of classic flan, experts also add espresso to the mixture. It’s a great combination since the bitter taste complements the sweetness very well.

8. Mango Flan

Another Asian twist to the classic caramel flan is the creation of mango flan. As the name suggests, the traditional combination of sweet and creamy custard is mixed with mango, a popular tropical fruit.

We hope this article helps you to get to know more about flan and its different variations. If you know any other twists to the traditional caramel flan, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Aliana Baraquio is a web content writer who also loves cooking dishes from different countries. If you want to experience a Barcelona-style restaurant that serves high-quality food, and a modern, contemporary, fresh feel from the south of Europe, visit TAST Catala Spanish Restaurant.