Bánh Flan (Vietnamese Flan with Coffee Caramel)
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 208kcal
Vietnamese flan is a smooth, creamy caramel custard made with milk, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Bake it in a water bath or use the Instant Pot, then chill until set for an easy make-ahead dessert.
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Equipment
- 8 (6 oz) ramekins or 2 (4 cup) Pyrex containers
- fine mesh sieve
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
Caramel
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee powder + 1 tablespoon water (optional)
Custard
- 2 cups whole milk
- ¾ cup sugar (or sub with condensed milk)
- 3 whole eggs + 3 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat & Prep: Preheat oven to 300°F and bring a kettle of water to a boil. Mix instant espresso and water (if using).
- Make Caramel: In a small pan, melt ½ cup sugar over medium-low heat until golden amber. Stir in coffee mixture if using. Quickly pour into ramekins or baking dish and swirl to coat bottoms.
- Make Custard: Warm the milk and sugar in a saucepan until sugar dissolves. Let cool slightly.
- Temper Eggs: Whisk eggs, yolks, and vanilla. Slowly add the warm milk a little at a time to prevent scrambling.
- Strain & Pour: Pour custard through a fine mesh sieve into the caramel-coated ramekins or baking dish.
- Bake or Pressure Cook:Oven: Cover with foil. Place in a baking tray and fill with boiling water halfway up the sides. Bake 50–70 minutes, or until just set with a slight jiggle.Instant Pot: Add 1 cup water to pot. Place ramekins on trivet. Pressure cook on high for 12 minutes. Natural release.
- Chill: Cool to room temp, cover with plastic wrap, and chill 4–6 hours or overnight.
- Unmold: Run a knife around the edge, flip onto a serving plate, and let the caramel flow. Serve chilled and enjoy!
Notes
- Work quickly with the caramel; it hardens fast.
- Temper the eggs slowly to avoid curdling.
- Strain the custard for the smoothest texture.
- For easier unmolding, place ramekins in warm water for a minute before flipping.
Nutrition
Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 130mg | Sodium: 71mg | Potassium: 161mg | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 277IU | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 1mg
