Banh flan is the first thing that comes to mind instantly when I think of Asian desserts. This Vietnamese flan is silky, rich, and has a delicate layer of golden caramel on top of the creamy custard.
My uncle has tweaked and perfected this recipe over the last 20 years. And after years of fighting for the biggest slice at parties, I’m sharing his tried and tested recipe with you! This recipe is simple but delicate, so follow the steps below closely for the best results.
This custard dessert is the Vietnamese version of crème caramel or caramel flan. It is delicate and soft and covered in a layer of golden caramel. Often found in a large tray or individual sized bowls, this Vietnamese dessert is popular for family parties, events, and holidays.
Kitchen Equipment
Fine Mesh Sieve: to remove any bubbles and create a velvety smooth flan
Whisk: for combining all the ingredients.
Steamer: you will need a steamer large enough to hold an 8 inch round cake pan.
8 inch round cake pan: this recipe is fits an 8 inch cake pan perfectly. Alternatively, you can use ramekins or smaller cake molds if you prefer. The cook times will vary depending on the size of the mold.
Ingredients
This Vietnamese crème caramel flan only requires 6 ingredients that you can find at your local grocery store. Please the recipe card below for the detailed amounts.
Large Eggs: The eggs are what create the silky flan custard texture of this flan.
Evaporated Milk: Thicker than milk and helps to make a creamier flan. For dairy-free substitute coconut milk.
Water: to slightly thin out the milk
Granulated Sugar: to create the rich amber caramel that sweetens the flan.
Vanilla Extract: gives the custard it’s flavor
Lemon Juice: the lemon juice adds a balance to the caramel with a touch of acidity
How To Make Vietnamese Flan
Make the Caramel Syrup
In a small mixing bowl, mix together the sugar water and lemon juice. Pour the syrup into a small skillet on medium heat, until the sugar dissolves and melts into a golden amber. Do not stir.
Pour the caramel into the 8-inch cake pan and quickly swirl the brown sugar syrup to cover the entire bottom of the pan. The syrup will harden in a few seconds.
Make the Flan Custard
Using a fine mesh sieve over a large mixing bowl, crack the eggs over the sieve and use a fork to break up the yolk to go through the sieve. Add the vanilla extract and gently whisk slowly until combined. Then add evaporated milk, sugar and water and slowly whisk until the sugar dissolves.
Slowly pour the flan mixture through the fine mesh sieve into the sugar cake pan. Make sure to pop any air bubbles with a toothpick.
In your steamer, fill the water until the bottom pot is 3/4 full and heat you steamer on high heat until it reaches boil. Then when it reaches a boil, turn down the heat to low or a low simmer. Place the flan in the steamer and steam for 1 hour. Place the lid on the steamer with a chopstick in the lid so that the lid is slightly open. Every 10 minutes wipe down the condensation on the lid to prevent water from dripping into the flan. The flan is done when the outer rim is set and the center has a slight jiggle.
Chill and Remove
When the flan is finished steaming, remove and let the flan cool until it reaches room temperature, and then chill it in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight. To remove, run a pairing knife around the edges of the pan. Place the plate on top of the cake pan and invert it onto a plate. Tap the top of the cake pan a few times to release the flan. Serve immediately.
This individual-sized version shows how you run along the edge before flipping and releasing the flan.
Tips For The Perfect Flan
Work fast with the caramel. You will need to carefully monitor the caramel. When it begins to turn amber it turns very quickly. Turn off the heat immediately once it turns a medium brown and immediately pour it into the cake pan. It will solidify almost immediately so be sure to cover the entire bottom of the cake pan.
Use room-temperature eggs. For an evenly cooked flan, you will want to use room-temperature eggs.
Strain the eggs and then the flan custard. For an extra silky custard, you must strain the eggs before you mix the ingredients. Straining the eggs breaks up the egg whites to prevent any clumping. Then, after you have combined the mixture, you must strain the flan custard again to ensure you have a silky smooth custard.
The cookingtime will vary if you use a different-sized baking dish. You will know the flan is set when it has a subtle jiggle in the center and is not too liquidy.
Set the flan in the refrigerator. You must set the flan in the refrigerator to solidify the flan custard. You can remove it by running a small knife along the edges of the baking dish.
Storage Instructions
You can store the Vietnamese flan in the cake pan covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Do not freeze after making, or the silky texture will get destroyed.
Pairing Suggestions
Vietnamese Flan is a silky, indulgent dessert that can be served with the following pairing suggestions.
Why does my Vietnamese crème caramel flan have bubbles?
The bubbles can be a result of 2 different reasons.
You could have over-whisked your custard and accidentally incorporated too much air into the mixture. To prevent this, gently combine your ingredients and avoid whisking in a quick motion. The flan is overcooked. The key to cooking a perfect flan is cooking it LOW AND SLOW. The bubbles could also result from the steamer being too hot and the custard was boiling. This can result in an overly hard custard that is too eggy. To avoid this, turn the heat down to low and carefully monitor it while it is steaming.
When is the flan ready?
You will know the flan is cooked when the outside rim is fully set and the center will have a slight jiggle. Don’t be alarmed if it seems a little underdone. After fully cooling and setting in the refrigerator, the custard will firm up.
Can I use different-sized baking dishes or ramekins?
If you opt for a larger cake pan, I recommend doubling the recipe so that the cake will be thick enough. The cook time may vary depending on your size and may need an additional 10-40 minutes. You may need a larger steamer for the cake pan to fit.
Alternatively, you can make these in smaller ramekins too for bite-sized portions. The cooking time for ramekins should be about 40 minutes.
Can I make the flan in the oven?
Yes, you can. However, the oven method with a water bath makes it much harder to control the temperature and how quickly the flan cooks since you are cooking it blindly. This may yield a lot of air bubbles in your flan.
To cook the flan in the oven, preheat your oven to 350 F. Cover the ramekins with aluminum foil. Place the ramekins into a larger tray to create a water bath and place them in the middle rack in the oven. Pour enough hot water into the tray so that it reaches about 1/2 way up the ramekin. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the outer rim is set and the center has slight jiggle-like jello.
This silky, velvety smooth bánh flan is my family’s favorite dessert! It is delicate, creamy and has just the right amount of sweetness for an ultra-luxurious experience.
Make the caramel syrup. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the sugar water and lemon juice. Pour the syrup into a small saucepan on medium low heat, until the sugar dissolves and melts into a golden amber about 10-12 minutes. Do not stir! You can pick up the saucepan and swirl it around 1-2 times to prevent it from burning. Pour the caramel into the 8-inch cake pan or ramekins and quickly swirl the brown sugar syrup to cover the entire bottom of the pan (Careful pan will get hot). The syrup will harden in a few seconds.
Mix the custard. Using a fine mesh sieve over a large mixing bowl, crack the eggs over the sieve and use a fork to break up the yolk to go through the sieve. Add the vanilla extract and gently whisk slowly until combined. Try not to whisk too quickly to create any air bubbles in the mixture. While slowly whisking, gradually pour in the evaporated milk, water, and sugar and continue whisking until the sugar dissolves and just combined.
Pour the flan through the sieve into the sugared pan. Slowly pour the flan mixture through the fine mesh sieve into the caramel cake pan or ramekins. Make sure to pop any air bubbles with a tooth pick.
Steam the flan. In your steamer, fill the water until the bottom pot is 3/4 full and heat you steamer on high heat until it reaches boil. Then when it reaches a boil, turn down the heat to low or a low simmer. Place the flan in the steamer and steam for 1 hour. Place the lid on the steamer with a chopstick in the lid so that the lid is slightly open. Every 10 minutes wipe down the condensation on the lid to prevent water from dripping into the flan. The flan is done when the outer rim is set and the center has a slight jiggle. If a toothpick comes out liquidy, then it will need to steam longer.
Cool and remove. When the flan is finished cooking, let the flan cool about 15 min until it reaches room temperature and then chill it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. To remove, use a pairing knife to run it along the edge of the pan. Place the plate on top of the cake pan and flip the cake pan 180 degrees. Tap the top of the cake pan a few times to release the flan. Serve immediately.
Hi,
I was wondering how many ramutans would this serve? And you said the time to steam it would be different. How long should I steam since I’m using little ramutans/jars?
Hi,
The answer of how many ramekins it will serve depends on how big the ramekins/jars that you are using. Since there are so many different-sized jars and ramekins out there, unfortunately, I can’t really provide you with an accurate estimate. This recipe yields enough for 1 eight-inch round pan.
The steaming time will also depend on how large the ramekins are and how high you fill the ramekins. I suggest for best results check on the steamer every 10-15 minutes. Smaller ramekins will most likely be done be faster than 1 hour–approximately 30-40 minutes. The flan is done when the outer rim is set and the center has a slight jiggle. If a toothpick comes out liquidy, then it will need to steam longer. I hope this helps!
Thank you for sharing this lovely recipe with us. In the past, I would add gelatin to firm the custard. While it’s tasty, it’s kind of a cheat. Your recipe creates a great texture and the taste was godsend!
Hi,
I was wondering how many ramutans would this serve? And you said the time to steam it would be different. How long should I steam since I’m using little ramutans/jars?
Hi,
The answer of how many ramekins it will serve depends on how big the ramekins/jars that you are using. Since there are so many different-sized jars and ramekins out there, unfortunately, I can’t really provide you with an accurate estimate. This recipe yields enough for 1 eight-inch round pan.
The steaming time will also depend on how large the ramekins are and how high you fill the ramekins. I suggest for best results check on the steamer every 10-15 minutes. Smaller ramekins will most likely be done be faster than 1 hour–approximately 30-40 minutes. The flan is done when the outer rim is set and the center has a slight jiggle. If a toothpick comes out liquidy, then it will need to steam longer. I hope this helps!
Thank you for sharing this lovely recipe with us. In the past, I would add gelatin to firm the custard. While it’s tasty, it’s kind of a cheat. Your recipe creates a great texture and the taste was godsend!
Of course! I am so happy that you loved the texture and flavor!