Flan

Ancient lineage

Baked egg custard traces back to ancient Rome, where eggs were plentiful and Roman cooks discovered their thickening properties. The word flan derives from Old French flaon (flat cake), itself from Latin flado. Medieval European custards evolved in multiple directions; the Spanish version — enriched with caramel and dairy — was carried to the Americas by colonists.

The caramel technique

Caramel is made first: sugar is heated in the mould until it melts to amber, then the mould is quickly tilted to coat the base. As the custard bakes, the caramel slowly liquefies and seeps to the edges. When unmoulded, the hardened caramel has reliquefied into a shimmering amber sauce.

Latin American variations

• Mexican flan — often made with sweetened condensed milk and cream cheese, producing a denser, richer custard
• Cuban flan — uses whole milk and eggs, lighter in texture
• Puerto Rican flan de queso — cream cheese in the custard
• Filipino leche flan — made with egg yolks only and condensed milk, steamed (not baked), very dense and sweet

Crème caramel vs. flan

These are essentially the same dish. Crème caramel is the French name; flan is Spanish. The French version typically uses cream and is somewhat lighter; the Spanish/Latin American versions are denser. In Spain, flan may also refer to commercially produced gelatin-set versions sold in supermarkets.