Leche Flan
My two sisters are great cooks and while I love to cook for everyone in the family, once in awhile I like to sit back and enjoy their great food. This weekend the family celebrated Easter lunch at my place and I asked my eldest sister to make her Leche Flan. This dessert is the Filipino version of creme caramel. I’ve always thought a great leche flan/creme caramel is very intimidating to make. I prefer one that has a very smooth texture and a dark, almost bitter, caramel sauce. My sister however thinks it’s the easiest dessert to make and hers comes out perfectly every time. The recipe was passed down from my Grandmother and it takes less than ten minutes to put everything together and around 40 minutes to cook. Very minimal effort for an impressive dessert.
Leche Flan (Filipino Style Creme Caramel)
- 1 cup sugar
- 375 ml evaporated milk
- 3/4 cup sugar (additional)
- 5 egg yolks plus 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla beans
- Boil the sugar in the sauce pan until dark brown and pour in a 23 cm metal cake pan and allow to harden.
- In a sauce pan, combine the evaporated milk, 3/4 cups sugar, vanilla beans and eggs, whisk lightly. Place over a gentle heat and mix gently for a few seconds (you don’t want the eggs to cook). Pour the milk and egg mixture into the cake pan. Cover with foil.
- Steam the flan over slow heat for 40 to 45 minutes until the flan is set.
- Allow the flan to cool. Refrigerate the flan for a few hours. When ready to serve, run a knife around the sides of the cake pan. Place a large serving plate over the cake pan and flip over. Pour the extra caramel over the flan.
Trissalicious 
I tried this and it was delicious, and I love the fact that you don’t even need condensed milk. Thank you for an amazing recipe.
Looks amazing, but can we get some clarifications on the recipe here? I’d love to reproduce this as faithfully as possible but there’s a couple things I’m unsure about.
1) What’s 1 teaspoon of vanilla beans? Do you mean 1 tsp of extract or should I use 1 vanilla bean pod?
2) I’m not sure about “steaming it over slow heat” – I’m guessing somewhere around 275-300 degrees in the oven, but I’d prefer not to guess 🙂
Thanks again for all your work on this blog – really great stuff!
Hi Brian,
1 teaspoon of vanilla paste unless you are lucky to have a vanilla bean, then use the pods from one bean.
Steaming over slow heat would be over the stove top.
Cheers
Trissa
Leche flan is one of my absolute favourite desserts and yours looks so perfect! Thanks for sharing a classic Fillo recipe 🙂
Hi. I just happen to drop by since I was searching for Java Rice Recipes… your leche flan looks yummy
… One way of preparing it would be in small ceramic bowls and dash with sugar and flame it… it becomes creme brûlée.. Btw I’m from the Philippines.. Thank you for your Yummy recipes.. I love baking and cooking too.. will share some of my stuffs too..
That leche flan looks so smooth!!! Every Filipinos favourite sweet! Halo Halo ain’t complete without too lol
Hi Trissa,
My mom’s recipe uses condensed milk and it is yummy too. I’d like to try your version since I am looking for a way to make it less sweet.
I’ve been following your blog for a while now but did not realize that you were the Trissa I knew from high school until yesterday! I guess I did not recognize you from your other photo. I found your blog through my guest post at Rasa Malaysia. Funny because when I saw that someone named Trissa made a comment on my post I thought about you but I assumed it was just another person with the same name.
I enjoy reading your blog. I love food and dogs too 🙂 Your pictures are beautiful! I have a food blog http://www.purpleyamhill.com that I rarely update since it takes up a lot of time. I usually keep my main one http://www.javafoto.com updated.
It was good to see you again. I hope you remember me.
-Charlotte
walang condensed milk?
i can’t believe there was only one comment on this! ok, now there are two…
so creamy and yummy, one of the best pinoy desserts i crave for
This really brings back memories for me. The only thing missing is those oval shaped tins that they come in.
Your leche flan looks so divine! I would be cooking my very first leche flan. Can i just ask how much water is added to boil the sugar?
Your leche flan is so smooth and luscious looking.
Your leche flan is very smooth and very luscious looking!
I love this! I have always thought though that it would be difficult to make…thanks for setting me straight! 🙂 I like mine smooth and very creamy, with a sauce much like you describe…dark caramel. Yum!
Love your blog and your kaya recipe which I am going to make soon.
Oh yum this sounds so delicious, thanks for sharing this recipe!
That’s a very impressive and flawless-looking leche flan!
omg i love leche so I am bookmarking this recipe asap! Yours looks so wondrously silky smooth!