During our travels in Mexico, we become quite fond of Flan (aka Caramel Custard or Crème Caramel). The light custard dessert is common on most restaurant menus and it’s easy to find stocked in refrigerator shelves in grocery stores.
While it is easy to find, we took it upon ourselves to see if we could make it ourselves using our Instant Pot. Turns out, Instant Pot Flan is very easy to make (no water bath needed).
Ours is the Napolitano version, which adds cream cheese to the recipe for a thicker, richer texture.
After feeling like we had our perfect Flan Napolitano recipe down, we have turned our attention to variations. With the holidays currently being around the corner, it seemed fitting to give Pumpkin Flan a try. We were not disappointed with the results.
Note: We’ve added directions for baking flan in a traditional oven for those who don’t own an Instant Pot (yet).
Pumpkin Flan Napolitano tastes very similar to a crustless pumpkin pie, or a pumpkin cheesecake that is lighter in texture. It’s a great holiday dessert, and because we make it in the Instant Pot it doesn’t take up any extra space in the oven. And it can be made (and is actually a little bit better) if made ahead of time and refrigerated for at least a day.
Inspired? Visit our Instant Pot Dessert Section for recipes such as Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Chip Cheesecake with an Oreo Crust or Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.
Instant Pot Flan Napolitano with Pumpkin
Instant Pot Pumpkin Flan Napolitano. A rich creamy flan that resembles a crustless pumpkin pie or light pumpkin cheesecake, bathed in caramel sauce.
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup (100g) White Refined Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) Water
- 1 Cup Evaporated Milk (237 ml)
- 1 10-ounce Can Sweetened Condensed Milk (293 ml)
- 5 Medium Whole Eggs (room temperature)
- 4 ounces (105g) Cream Cheese (softened) cut into 4 pieces
- 1 Cup (212g) Pumpkin Puree
- 1 Teaspoon (5ml) Vanilla Extract
- 3/4 Teaspoon (1.98g Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 Teaspoon (.66g) Ground Nutmeg
- 1/4 Teaspoon (1.5g) Salt
Instructions
Put sugar along with 2 tablespoons of warm water in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan over medium high heat, stirring frequently.
Continue to stir until the sugar melts and reaches a rich brown color. Once a very slightly bitter smell emits from the caramel, remove it from heat.
Using oven mitts or something to protect your hands, carefully pour the caramel into an 18cm (7 inch) cake pan, coating all sides. Continue to rotate the pan, coating all surfaces, then set aside. The caramel should rest for about 10 minutes before adding the batter.
Crack eggs into a small bowl to make sure no shell gets into the batter.
Combine the eggs and all other ingredients in a blender or food processor.
Blend until smooth. Using a spoon, remove any foam from the top of the blender (which will result in fewer bubbles in the flan).
Add 2 cups of water to the bottom of the Instant Pot.
If you don't own a trivet with handles, form a "sling" by folding over a 15 inch (38 cm) long piece of tin foil twice to form a sling. Slip it under the trivet to use as a handle to remove the flan.
Pour the batter into the cake pan, leaving about an inch (2.5 cm) at the top of the pan.
Cover with tin foil and crimp along the lip of the cake pan so that no steam will enter the pan during cooking.
Baking instructions below
Place the pan in the Instant Pot, and set the pot to "Manual" or "High" for 15 minutes. Make sure the valve is set to "Sealing."
When the cooking time is done, turn off the pot and allow the steam to release naturally for 10 minutes.
Remove from the flan and allow it to cool to room temperature.
Place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 3 hours, or preferably overnight.
When ready to serve, remove the foil and run a knife around the edge of the cake to make sure it will not stick.
Place a plate over the top of the flan. Make sure that the plate has a lip so that none of the caramel sauce oozes over the sides. Invert the cake pan into the plate. If you don't hear the flan release into the plate, give it a little shake.
Remove the pan. Serve in slices drizzled with the caramel sauce.
Baking Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 177 Celsius and make sure that an oven rack is placed in the middle.
Follow instructions above up to (and including) covering the pan with foil.
Select a larger pan that the flan will rest inside, and create a water bath by pour boiling water up to about half way up the side of the pan containing the flan.
Cook for 45- 60 minutes. The flan should jiggle slightly in the middle when done.
Remove from the oven and place the flan on a cooling rack.
Allow the flan to reach room temperature. Place in the refrigerator and allow to cool a minimum of 3 hours, but preferably overnight.
When ready to serve, remove the foil and run a knife around the edge of the cake to make sure it will not stick.
Place a plate over the top of the flan. Make sure that the plate has a lip so that none of the caramel sauce oozes over the sides. Invert the cake pan into the plate. If you don't hear the flan release into the plate, give it a little shake.
Remove the pan. Serve in slices drizzled with the caramel sauce.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 316Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 170mgSodium: 177mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 0gSugar: 39gProtein: 13g
Nutritional values are estimates only.