Ok, I’ll be honest. I hate pumpkin spice.
I KNOW, I know…don’t hate me.
It’s just not my thing plus I feel like pumpkin spice has been so overhyped in the last few years. BUT… I do know that nothing says Fall than making delicious pumpkin recipes filled with warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and all spice.
So, in the spirit of Fall, I’m giving creamy, custard-y classic flan a pumpkin twist!
What is Flan?
Flan is a creamy baked custard dessert topped with a simple caramel that is very popular in Latin America. My favorite recipe is flan de queso (cream cheese flan) however I have to say this flan de calabaza definitely did not disappoint!
Think pumpkin pie flavors with a creamy custard texture. YUM!
Let me show you how to make it.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Granulated sugar. This is what you need to make the caramel.
- Sweetened condensed milk. This adds creamy texture and sweetness to the flan.
- Evaporated milk. This also add creamy texture because it uses less water than regular milk.
- Pumpkin purée. The star of the show! I use Libby’s. If your pumpkin puree is watery, make sure to blot it with a paper towel so it doesn’t add more liquid into this batter.
- Eggs. Always use room temperature eggs as they will blend better with the milk mixture.
- Vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, salt, nutmeg. All the Fall flavors we know and love!
- Water bath. Similar to a cheesecake, a water bath is key for custards to cook evenly.
How To Make Pumpkin Flan
- Make the caramel. In a saucepan, melt sugar over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning until it turns an amber color. Don’t walk away. Sugar can burn so easily. Once you get liquid gold, remove it from the heat and pour the caramel into a 9-inch round cake pan, moving it around to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Blend the flan ingredients. In a high-speed blender, add sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, pumpkin purée, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin spice and salt. Blend until smooth. Pour the milk mixture over the set caramel in the round pan.
- Prep the water bath. Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Carefully fill the roasting pan with about 2 inches of hot water.
- Bake the flan at 350ºF for 50-55 minutes or until the center is just set. If the outer rims look set but the middle jiggles when you gently shake the pan, the flan is done. You will be tempted to continue to bake it but then you run the risk of it getting a rubbery texture. Don’t do it!
- Chill the flan. Carefully remove the pan from the water bath and allow it to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature. Place it in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight so the flan can fully set.
- Flip it! Remove the pan from the fridge. Run a knife around the sides of the round pan to slightly loosen the flan. Place a large plate on top of the round pan and invert the pan (flip it over) so the flan transfers onto a large plate.
Common Questions About Pumpkin Flan
Yes, it does! A water bath adds moisture to the oven helping flans cook evenly without drying them out, curdling the eggs, or resulting in a rubbery texture.
You can leave the flan in the same plate you transferred it to for 1 day covered with aluminum foil however you definitely want to eventually store it in an airtight container to avoid it from spoiling. It lasts about 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. If you have a bunch of caramel leftover in the pan after you flip over the flan, you can transfer it to a jar and use it to top each individual slice of flan as you serve it.
Yes! You can make this flan up to 24 hours in advance and store it in the fridge, before flipping, until ready to serve. All I would recommend is to wrap the pan tightly in plastic wrap.
You may also like:
- Cream Cheese Flan (Flan de Queso)
- Guava Swirl Cheesecake with Maria Cookie Crust
- Easy Tiramisu Recipe
- Tres Leches Cake Recipe
Pumpkin Flan (Flan de Calabaza)
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- 15 ounces pumpkin purée
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- In a saucepan, melt sugar over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning until it turns an amber color. Don’t walk away. Sugar can burn so easily. Once you get liquid gold, remove it from the heat and pour the caramel into a 9-inch round cake pan, moving it around to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a high-speed blender, add sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, pumpkin purée, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin spice and salt. Blend until smooth. Pour the milk mixture over the set caramel in the round pan.
- Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Carefully fill the roasting pan with about 2 inches of hot water.
- Bake the flan for 50-55 minutes or until the center is just set. If the outer rims look set but the middle jiggles when you gently shake the pan, the flan is done. You will be tempted to continue to bake it but then you run the risk of it getting a rubbery texture. Don’t do it!
- Carefully remove the pan from the water bath and allow it to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature. Place it in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight so the flan can fully set.
- Remove the pan from the fridge. Run a knife around the sides of the round pan to slightly loosen the flan. Place a large plate on top of the round pan and invert the pan (flip it over) so the flan transfers onto a large plate. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
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