So creamy and smooth, this leche flan cooked in Instant Pot is one of the best desserts you can make for the holidays or get-together!
What is it?
Leche flan, crème caramel or caramel custard, it may be called different names but basically the same.
The basic ingredients are milk, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, and sugar to make the caramel. There are different ways to make it. The traditional way is by steaming. It can also be baked in the oven or use an electric pressure cooker.
About the ingredients
Milk - We usually use evaporated milk but fresh milk also does the job.
Eggs - Traditionally, only the yolks are used and it makes the flan richer and creamier. Duck eggs are the best to use as they have vibrant and larger yolks and but chicken eggs are also ok. This recipe however uses whole eggs which give a lighter texture. And no wasted egg whites.
Caramel - it is typically made by cooking sugar into caramel but if you have already-made or store-bought caramel, it can also be used to save time.
Added Flavors - Vanilla adds a nice flavor and so does lime or lemon zest. You can also use both at the same time.
Oven-baked
You could also make flan in the oven in a bain-marie and the result will be silky-smooth custard.
Just follow the same procedure but instead of cooking in Instant Pot, place the filled molds or llanera in a pan then fill the pan with hot water half full. Then place it in the oven and bake for 30 minutes at 160°C or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Check out my other Leche Flan recipe with video using only egg yolks and baked in the oven.
Stove-top Steaming
If you do not have an oven or instant pot, then do it the traditional way, by steaming.
Steam the filled llaneras over low heat for 30-40 minutes. I suggest covering them with aluminum foil or placing a clean cloth in between the steamer basket and lid to catch the steam so it will not drip into the flans.
Instant Pot Flan
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon water
- 1 cup whole milk or evaporated milk - 250 ml
- 1 cup sweetened condensed milk - 250 ml
- 4 medium eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon or lime zest
Instructions
- Spread sugar evenly on a microwave-safe and pressure cooker-safe dish/ bowl. Drizzle the water a tablespoon at a time over the sugar. Place the bowl in the microwave and cook at high power for 3 minutes or until the syrup turns golden and all granules have melted.
- Using pot holders, take the bow out from the microwave and tilt it around all sides to spread the syrup evenly. Set aside to cool down completely.
- Place the egg in a bowl or large measuring cup, and gently beat them with a fork or whisk. Try not to beat too fast and create a lot of bubbles. Gradually add the milk and condensed milk while continuously stirring slowly.
- Lastly, add the vanilla extract and zest of key lime or lemon and stir a couple of times more until all is well blended. Pour the mixture to the bowl with caramel through a sieve or a strainer to remove undissolved bits. Tap the bowl against the counter several times to release any trapped air. Remove surface bubbles with a spoon or burst them with a toothpick.
- Cover the bowl tightly with aluminum foil and then place it on the trivet.
INSTANT POT COOKING:
- Place the condensation collector behind the cooker before you start. Add 1 ½ cups water to the inner pot then lower the trivet with the bowl into the pot.
- Close and lock the lid of the Instant Pot. Make sure that the Steam Release valve is set to seal.
- Press STEAM button, then press PRESSURE button and set to low and set timer to 25 minutes. It will start to warm up and after a few minutes, the FLOAT VALVE will pop-up, which means the instant pot is now pressurized and the timer will start the countdown.
- Once cooking time is up (L0:00), press CANCEL and leave it to allow natural pressure release (NPR) for another 10 minutes. The FLOAT VALVE should gradually go down. Once completely down (no pressure), it is safe to open the lid.
COOLING AND SERVING:
- Lift the trivet out of the pot and leave it on the counter to cool down for an hour. Then refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- To serve, run a knife around the flan and invert it onto a serving dish.
Video
About the Author
Bebs has been part of the food blog scene since 2014. Her passion for cooking and baking paved the way to the success of her blog, Foxy Folksy. Now she is here to cook up more yum for you.
I used the bain-marie method and it's still liquid after 30 mins at 320 degrees F.
Hello Cha. If you used the bain-marie method with an oven, adjust the cooking time to about 40 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. We hope this helps. 🙂
Hi! Can I use the regular llanera for making this in the Instantpot?
Hi Liv, yes you can use the regular llanera in Instant pot!
Im sorry if im being a bit dense here, but are you guy talking about a FLANERA, or is a llanera something else entirely ?
Hi Annet, yes flanera and llanera are the same thing. In the Philippines, flan molds are called llaneras which are usually oval aluminum pans.