Name: Chef John's Cheesecake Flan
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 200 min
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon vegetable oil; 0.5 cup white sugar; 2 tablespoons white sugar; 0.5 cup cream cheese, at room temperature; 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese; 0.75 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 pinch salt; 3 large eggs, beaten; 1 cup milk; 2 tablespoons milk; 0.5 cup white sugar; 0.5 cup graham cracker crumbs; 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Chef John's Cheesecake Flan

5.0

(9)

9 Reviews

4 Photos

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.

Recipe by Chef John

Updated on June 19, 2020

Prep Time:

10 mins

Cook Time:

50 mins

Additional Time:

2 hrs 20 mins

Total Time:

3 hrs 20 mins

Servings:

Yield:

4 5 1/2-ounce flans

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Ingredients

For the Ramekins:

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
½ cup white sugar
2 tablespoons white sugar

For the Custard:

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

For the Topping:

½ cup graham cracker crumbs (Optional)
2 tablespoons butter, melted (Optional)

Directions

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

Chef's Notes:

I used four 5 1/2-ounce ramekins, and had a little custard mixture left over, so you can probably get 5 out of this recipe if you use slightly smaller ramekins, or fill them with less batter.

Ramekins can also be greased with melted butter.

Editor's Note:

Nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of custard. The actual amount consumed will vary.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

542	Calories
25g	Fat
71g	Carbs
11g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 542
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 25g	32%
Saturated Fat 13g	65%
Cholesterol 194mg	65%
Sodium 345mg	15%
Total Carbohydrate 71g	26%
Dietary Fiber 0g	1%
Total Sugars 63g
Protein 11g
Vitamin C 0mg	1%
Calcium 158mg	12%
Iron 2mg	8%
Potassium 195mg	4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.