Vanilla Bean Flan
An elegant, pure flan speckled with real vanilla bean for the most fragrant, luxurious custard.
Ingredients
Total time: 75 minutes
Caramel
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
Custard
- 5 large eggs
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 325°F and boil water for the bath.
- 2
Cook the sugar and water to an amber caramel and pour into a 9-inch dish, swirling to coat.
- 3
Warm the whole milk with the vanilla bean seeds and pod for 5 minutes, then remove the pod.
- 4
Gently whisk the eggs, then whisk in the condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla milk, and salt.
- 5
Strain over the caramel (the seeds will pass through), set in a roasting pan, and add hot water halfway up the sides.
- 6
Bake 50–60 minutes until just set, then chill 4 hours before unmolding.
Zoe's Tips
- Save the scraped pod in a jar of sugar to make vanilla sugar.
- Warming the milk with the bean infuses maximum flavor.
- Strain gently so you keep those pretty vanilla flecks.
Nutrition estimate
Approximate, per serving — a rough guide, not a lab measurement.
A note from Zoe:this recipe is newly developed from classic, trusted baking ratios — it hasn't been through rounds of reader testing yet. Bake with a baker's eye, and if you try it, I'd genuinely love your feedback so I can make it even better.
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