Celebrate the season with this easy, delicious, and decadent Pumpkin Flan Recipe (Flan de Calabaza) that is perfectly spiced, ultra-creamy, and topped with luscious vanilla caramel, making it the ultimate sweet ending; to the Thanksgiving feast or any holiday feast!
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How to Make Caramel
Note: The full instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add 1 cup of sugar. Cook the sugar, stirring occasionally, until it melts 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 it is melted and the caramel is uniformly dark amber (it should smell caramel but not burnt), about 10 to 12 minutes total. (If you still have undissolved sugar lumps, stir it off the heat until melted.)
Next, carefully pour the room-temperature water 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 sugar may harden up and crystallize. Don't worry; keep stirring the mixture over medium heat for 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 the towel, and set aside to cool completely.
How to Make Pumpkin Flan
Note: The full instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
Meanwhile, place the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and canned pumpkin in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-low speed until smooth.
Whisk in the egg yolks, eggs, vanilla, ground cinnamon, cloves, and ground nutmeg. Pass the mixture through a fine strainer into a large measuring cup to ensure a smooth flan. Slowly pour into the caramel-coated pan to avoid air bubbles.
Place the pan in a roasting pan large enough to hold the cake pan flat, and fill the roasting pan with enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan.
Bake in the center of the oven for 70 to 75 minutes until the custard is set. It will be firm but still jiggle slightly in the middle; a knife inserted into the center of the flan will come out clean. Remove the flan from the water bath, place it on a cooling rack, and cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
How to Unmold Pumpkin Flan
Note: The full instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
Remove the Pumpkin Flan from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Fill a shallow pan with hot water. Dip the bottom of the pan in hot water for a minute before inverting it so the caramel loosens from the bottom.
Run a knife around the pan's rim, and be sure to reach the caramel on the bottom; tilt the pan slightly to allow a bit of the caramel into the gap. Carefully invert a rimmed round platter over the pan. Grabbing both, carefully invert the flan onto the platter. Pour and scrape the caramel onto the Pumpkin Flan. Cut into wedges and serve. Enjoy!😋
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Recipe
Easy Pumpkin Flan
Ingredients
For the Caramel:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water room temperature
For the Pumpkin Flan:
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweeten condensed milk
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporate milk
- 1 (15 oz/425g) 100% canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
- 5 large egg yolks , room temperature
- 3 eggs , room temperature
- 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
How to Make 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 water 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.
How to Make Pumpkin Flan
- Note: The full instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
- Meanwhile, place the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and canned pumpkin in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-low speed until smooth.
- Whisk in the egg yolks, eggs, vanilla, ground cinnamon, cloves, and ground nutmeg. 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 pan to avoid air bubbles.
- Place the pan in a roasting pan large enough to hold the cake pan flat and fill the roasting pan with enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake in the center of the oven for 70 to 75 minutes until the custard is just set.
- It will be firm but still jiggle slightly in the middle; a knife inserted into the center of the flan will come out clean. Remove the flan from the water bath, place it on a cooling rack, and cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
How to unmold Pumpkin Flan
- Note: The full instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
- Remove the Pumpkin Flan from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Fill a shallow pan with hot water. Dip the bottom of the pan in hot water for a minute before inverting it, so the caramel loosens from the bottom of the pan.
- Run a knife around the pan's rim, be sure to reach the caramel on the bottom; tilt the pan slightly to allow a bit of the caramel into the gap. Carefully invert a rimmed round platter over the pan.
- Grabbing both, carefully invert the flan onto the platter. Pour and scrape the caramel onto the Pumpkin Flan. Cut into wedges and serve. Enjoy!😋
Notes
- To store: Cover Pumpkin Flan tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- To reheat: Remove the plastic wrap and place the ramekins in a shallow baking dish filled with warm water. Heat the flan in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 10-15 minutes or until warmed. Alternatively, you can reheat individual portions in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds each until warm.
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.
