Flan Napolitano

Make Ahead and Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days, covered. It does not freeze — the custard turns grainy on thawing.

Flan Napolitano: The Method

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1. Heat the oven to 160°C / 320°F and boil a kettle.

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2. Put the sugar and water in a small pan over medium heat. Do not stir once it boils; swirl the pan instead.

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3. Cook 8 to 10 minutes until it turns a deep amber, then pour immediately into a 22 cm round cake tin or flan mould and tilt to coat the base. It will set hard within a minute.

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4. Blend the cream cheese alone until completely smooth, then add the condensed milk, evaporated milk, eggs, vanilla and salt and blend on low for 30 seconds — just enough to combine without whipping in air.

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5. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve over the caramel to catch any lumps or chalazae.

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6. Cover the tin tightly with foil and set it in a deep roasting tray. Pour boiling water into the tray to come halfway up the sides.

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7. Bake 60 to 70 minutes until the flan is set at the edges with a slight wobble in the middle, like a set jelly.

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8. Cool for no more than 2 hours, then refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight — this is not optional, as a warm flan will collapse.

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9. To serve, run a knife around the edge, set a rimmed plate over the tin, and invert confidently in one movement.

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Related guides: Prep, cook and total time · Pan and tin size.

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Worth Knowing

• A rimmed plate, not a flat one. There is more caramel syrup than you expect and it goes everywhere.
• Overnight chilling firms the set and lets the hardened caramel dissolve into liquid syrup.
• If your caramel seizes into a solid disc, do not panic — it dissolves completely during baking and chilling.

What to Put Next to It

Strong black coffee or café de olla · Fresh berries to cut the richness · A small glass of dark rum

Quick Answers

The Numbers per Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.