Chef John’s Cheesecake Flan

by

Description

A cheesecake-like custard bakes over a layer of caramel in my attempt at making flan that tastes like cheesecake. Much to my (pleasant) surprise, I ended up with a flan-flavored cheesecake instead, thanks to the power of caramelized sugar. Careful, that thin layer of caramel can be overpowering. Whether or not you make a successful graham cracker crust topping, I hope you give this gorgeous recipe a try soon.

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • ½ cup cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • ½ cup graham cracker crumbs (Optional)
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted (Optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Rub the insides of four 5 1/2-ounce ramekins with oil.
  2. Melt 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
  3. without stirring
  4. in a skillet over medium heat. Swirl the skillet occasionally until sugar caramelizes to an amber color. Quickly pour caramel into each ramekin to cover the bottoms. Place ramekins in a baking dish.
  5. Combine cream cheese
  6. Parmesan cheese
  7. vanilla extract
  8. salt
  9. and eggs in a bowl. Whisk until smooth.
  10. Heat 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk until almost simmering. Stir in sugar and pour into the cream cheese mixture.
  11. Ladle mixture into the ramekins. Fill the baking dish with enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
  12. Bake in the preheated oven until custard is just barely set
  13. 45 to 60 minutes. When shaken
  14. custard should jiggle as one mass. Remove ramekins from baking dish and let cool to room temperature.
  15. Mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter and spread some of the mixture over each flan. Refrigerate until fully chilled
  16. at least 2 hours.
  17. Run a knife along the edge of each chilled flan and invert onto a plate. Drizzle any remaining caramel on top.

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 50 mins

Total Time: 3 hrs 20 mins

Servings: 4

Leave a Comment