This recipe combines the creamy texture of traditional flan with the citrusy brightness of fresh orange, making it the perfect dessert to end any meal. 🍊
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How To Make Orange Flan
Orange Caramel
In a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat, add 1 cup of granulated sugar. Stir occasionally until the sugar starts to melt and turns golden brown around the edges.
Use a heatproof spatula to gently pull the melted sugar toward the center, helping the rest melt evenly. Keep cooking until all the sugar is a deep amber color-about 10-12 minutes.
Carefully add ½ cup of room temperature orange juice (or water), stirring constantly. The mixture will bubble and steam. If the sugar seizes, just keep stirring over medium heat until smooth.
Immediately pour the caramel into the bottom of (8) 9 oz ramekins. Quickly swirl each to coat the bottoms and sides. Place them in a roasting pan lined with a kitchen towel and let them cool.
Scalding the Milk
Combine the evaporated milk and a strip of orange peel in a saucepan. Heat until it just begins to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to low, and let it steep for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat, add the orange zest, and let cool. Strain into a large measuring cup and discard the peel.
Orange Custard
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, egg yolks, and whole eggs until smooth. Add the sweetened condensed milk, orange-infused milk, orange liqueur, zest, and vanilla extract. Stir gently until fully combined.
Strain the mixture into a large measuring cup to ensure a silky-smooth custard. Carefully pour into the prepared ramekins to avoid creating air bubbles.
Baking
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Boil water in a kettle.
Place the roasting pan with ramekins on the middle oven rack. Pour the hot water into the pan so it reaches halfway up the ramekins.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the custard is set but still jiggles slightly in the center. Remove from the oven and let the ramekins cool in the water bath for 1 hour. Then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until fully chilled.
Unmolding
Let the chilled flans sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
Dip the bottom of each ramekin in hot water for 30-60 seconds. Run a thin knife around the edge, gently tilting the ramekin so some caramel seeps down.
Place a serving plate over the ramekin and carefully flip it. Scrape out any remaining caramel and serve.
Storage & Reheating
To store: Cover cooled flans tightly and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
To reheat: Let sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. You can reheat gently in a water bath in the oven at 300°F or use the microwave on low in short intervals.
Make-ahead: You can prepare the flan a day in advance. Chill overnight and unmold just before serving.
Freezing: Not recommended. The texture and flavor will suffer after freezing.
Tips
- Don't melt sugar over high heat-it will burn quickly.
- Always use a water bath to ensure even cooking.
- Soften cream cheese well before mixing.
- Chill thoroughly before unmolding.
- Fresh orange juice gives the best flavor.
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Recipe
Easy Orange Flan
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup fresh orange juice or water room temperature
For the Orange Flan:
- (1) 14-ounce canned sweetened condensed milk
- 354 ml fresh orange juice
- 5 large egg yolk , room temperature
- 3 large eggs , room temperature
- 100 g full-fat cream cheese , room temperature
- 3 teaspoons orange-flavored liqueur , such as Grand Marnier
- 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 354 ml full-fat evaporated milk or whole milk
- 1 strip orange peel (¼" wide)
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
Instructions
How to Scald Milk:
- Place the evaporated milk and the strip of orange peel in a medium saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until the mixture comes to a simmer. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the orange zest and allow it to cool. Strain into a large measuring cup or bowl with a spout and discard the orange peel; set aside.
How to Make Orange Caramel
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add 1 cup of sugar. Cook the sugar, stirring occasionally until it begins to melt and turns brown around the edges. Use a heatproof rubber spatula to pull the melted sugar around the edges toward the center of the unmelted sugar; this will help the sugar melt evenly.
- Continue cooking and pulling the melted sugar until all the sugar is melted and the caramel is uniformly dark amber (it should smell caramelly but not burnt), about 10 to 12 minutes total. (If you still have undissolved lumps of sugar, stir it off the heat until melted.)
- Next, carefully pour the room-temperature orange juice into the melted sugar while continuously stirring the mixture with a heatproof rubber spatula tilted slightly to prevent hot steam from burning you. The mixture will bubble and steam vigorously, and some of the sugar may harden up and crystallize, but don't worry; just keep stirring the mixture over medium heat for an additional 1-2 minutes until the sugar re-melts completely and the caramel is smooth.
- Be careful not to overcook the caramel, as it can burn quickly and become bitter. Pour the caramel into the bottom of (8) 9oz Ramekins; quickly swirl around to coat all bottom and sides. Lay a dishtowel on the bottom of a roasting pan, place the ramekins on top of the towel, and set aside to cool completely.
- Pour the caramel into the bottom of (8) 9oz Ramekins; quickly swirl around to coat all bottom and sides. Lay a dishtowel on the bottom of a roasting pan, place the ramekins on top of the towel and set aside to cool completely.
How to Make Orange Custard
- Place the cream cheese, egg yolks, and eggs in a large mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer while adding the condensed milk until smooth and well integrated. Add the cooled steeped orange flavored milk, orange liqueur, orange zest, and the vanilla extract and stir gently until all the ingredients are incorporated.
- Pass the mixture through a fine strainer into a large measuring cup to ensure that the flan will be perfectly smooth. Slowly pour into the caramel-coated ramekins to avoid air bubbles.
How to Bake Flan
- Adjust a rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350° degrees. Bring water to a boil in a kettle. Transfer the flan to the oven, and fill the roasting pan with water to the halfway point. Bake until just set, about 35 to 45 minutes; the finished flan should have a slight jiggle in the center. Don't worry if it seems undercooked; it will continue to cook as it cools.
- Next, remove from the oven and allow the ramekins to cool in the water bath for 1 hour. Then, remove from the water bath and let the flan cool completely before serving, either at room temperature or in the refrigerator, for about 4 hours.
How to unmold the Flan:
- When ready to serve, remove the flan from the refrigerator and let it sit for 10 minutes. Next, fill a shallow pan with hot water. Dip the bottom of the ramekin in hot water for a minute before inverting it so the caramel loosens from the bottom of the ramekin.
- Run a knife around the ramekin's rim, and be sure to reach the caramel on the bottom; tilt the ramekin slightly to allow a bit of the caramel into the gap.
- Carefully invert a rimmed round platter over the ramekin. Grabbing both, carefully invert the orange flan onto the individual platters, scraping out any loose caramel, and serve. Enjoy!😋
Notes
- Never melt your caramel on your stove's highest setting; it will cause the caramel to scorch and taste burned.
- The purpose of the water bath (bain-marie; baño de María) is to provide an even, moderate temperature and ensure that the orange flan mixture cooks evenly.
Soften cream cheese well: bring it to room temperature or use a microwave so it blends better. - It's important not to overcook the eggs, as they'll become rubbery.
Don't skip chill time! It is crucial when inverting the flan so it can hold up.
Use Fresh Orange Juice.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is an estimate, calculated using standard data sources. Actual values may vary based on ingredient brands, preparation methods, and portion sizes. This information is for general reference only and should not be considered a substitute for professional dietary advice.
