Instant Pot Puerto Rican Flan Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my flan not creamy? ›

Too many air bubbles will cause your flan to be spongey and not creamy. Using a water bath helps the flan cook evenly and not too fast. If the flan cooks fast, it will create air bubbles. We don't want air bubbles in our flan.

Don't skip the water bath. The steady and steamy temperature is what makes flans silky and soft. Always bake at the suggested temperature; steaming the flans at a higher temperature will make them flat, bubbly with holes all over, or have a rubbery texture.

That is simply caramelized sugar that coats the dish before the custard is poured in for baking. As the flan is chilled, the moisture from the custard liquefies the caramelized sugar and results in the sauce.

To prevent overshooting our desired internal temp, the flan needs to be protected from the intense dry heat of the oven with a water bath. By cooking the flan in a roasting pan filled with hot water, we guarantee that the custard won't heat past the boiling point, and we can slowly reach our ultimate temperature.

Your flan should be done when it's lightly colored and firm to the touch but not solid. To double check, stick the blade of your knife in the center of the flan and halfway down; the blade should come out clean. Carefully remove the baking pan from the oven, then remove the flan from the water bath.

This can be caused by too low baking/steaming temperature or too short baking time. Alternatively, the recipe proportion of egg and milk is not adequate (too much milk for instance).

The center should be almost set, but will still be a little bit jiggly. (Do not overcook – otherwise your flan will have “bubbles” on the side and will have a curdled texture to it.)

and if your oven isn't calibrated correctly. it'll end up either under baked or over baked. a perfectly cooked flan should be firm around the edge. and still have a little bit of a jiggle to it in the center, it'll finish setting as it cools.

Remove your flan from the oven and take it out of the roasting pan. Remove the foil and allow it to cool on the counter for 1 hour till it comes to room temperature. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours. Once fully cooled, run a knife around the edges and then place a plate onto the flan.

Despite having a lot of sugar, which is a preservative, flan also has milk and eggs, which have a high protein and moisture content. This makes it a fertile breeding ground for unwanted, harmful bacteria.

Should flan be cooked covered or uncovered? ›

The water bath will give you more even cooking. Covering the flan with foil will also help with cooking. Put your dish on the center rack and let bake for 30-40 minutes, and then check every 10 minutes until the flan has a gentle jello-like movement in the center and the sides are set.

Additionally, flan involves the process of baking the custard on top of the caramel, then flipping it after it's cooked and cooled. Creme brulee involves baking the custard alone, then sprinkling with sugar and using a torch to caramelize as mentioned above.

It's normal. Caramel hardens when you pour it into a ramekin but gradually melts into syrup during cooking. If the layer of caramel poured into a ramekin is too thick, it will not have time to completely melt during cooking.

Remove the baked flan with the larger baking dish from the oven. Leave the baked flan to set in the water bath until it comes to room temperature. Then cover the creme caramel with cling film and place in the fridge for at least 8 - 12 hours to set and cool completely.

Yes, you can overcook flan. Overcooking your flan will result in a rubbery, eggy final product. A reliable way to test flan and baked custards for doneness is to gently thump the side of the pan. If the custard wobbles as one unit (instead of rippling like a stone's been tossed in the pool), it's ready.

You probably overcooked the crème caramel if you detect an eggy taste or if the texture isn't smooth. Another reason for a rubbery texture could be that you are using too many eggs (or egg whites) in your recipe. Solution: Try baking the crème caramel at a lower temperature or reduce the baking time. And that's it!