The Flan Recipe Chef Valdes Perfected With His Aunt Is Pure Comfort
This flan recipe is one of Chef Chris Valdes‘s most cherished ones. He began perfecting it side by side with his aunt when he was just starting his catering business, and he named it after her as a tribute to the time they spent together in the kitchen.
Valdes says flan should feel silky and rich, without tasting overly eggy, and this one hits that balance. He leans on sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk for that classic creamy texture, then adds a touch of dark rum for warmth and depth that lifts the flavour without taking over.
For him, it’s the kind of dessert that pulls people back to the table.
When it’s time to serve, he reaches for peaches and cherries the way his mom taught him as a kid. And when he wants a modern twist, he tops it with fresh strawberries and a drizzle of chocolate. Either way, the heart of the recipe stays the same.
Adela’s Flan
Ingredients
- 1.2 cup white sugar (for the caramel)
- 5 eggs
- 2 (14 ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
- 2(12 ounce) cans evaporated milk
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp dark rum or rum-flavored syrup
- ½ cup white sugar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch (dissolved in 1 tablespoon of filtered water)
- cherries, peaches and/or strawberries for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt sugar for caramel until liquefied and it has dissolved into a golden-light brown syrup.
- Carefully pour hot syrup into a nine-inch round glass baking dish or flan pot, turning the dish side to side to evenly coat the bottom and sides. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, with an electric mixer or blender, mix eggs, condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla extract, rum and sugar until smooth. Add the dissolved corn starch. Pour the mixture into the caramel-coated pan.
- Place the baking dish or flan pot in a larger baking dish; add enough hot water to the lager pan to come halfway up the side of the baking dish or flan pot.
- Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool slightly. Carefully remove flan from water, place it on a wire rack and allow it to cool completely. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Wait to unmold onto a plate before serving.
- To serve, place a plate on top of the flan, grab a hold of both the plate and the pan, and quickly and carefully flip it over so that the flan is now upside down. Carefully lift of the flan or dishpan. Before inverting make sure it is not stuck around the edges. Run a small knife around the edges if needed.
- Decorate with peaches, cherries or strawberries.
Chris Valdes is a Miami-born and raised chef, actor, cookbook author, philanthropist, and celebrity caterer. Chef Chris has been featured on the cover of numerous magazines, various national TV shows such as Hallmark’s Home and Family and LIVE with Kelly and Ryan, and was a finalist on Food Network Star and Star Salvation.
