Flan De Maracuya Recipe

Make the caramel

In a small heavy saucepan, combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon water. Cook over medium heat without stirring until the sugar dissolves and begins to bubble. Once bubbling, gently swirl the pan occasionally until the syrup turns a deep amber color (about 6–8 minutes). Watch carefully to avoid burning.

Immediately remove from heat and carefully pour the hot caramel into a 9-inch round flan mold or six 6-oz ramekins, tilting to evenly coat the bottom. Set aside and let the caramel harden while you prepare the custard.

Prepare passion fruit pulp

If using fresh passion fruit, scoop pulp and seeds into a fine sieve set over a bowl and press with the back of a spoon to extract juice, yielding about 1 cup. If using frozen pulp, thaw and strain similarly to remove excess seeds and reduce grit. Reserve about 1–2 tablespoons of seeds for garnish if desired.

Warm milks

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup whole milk and 1 cup evaporated milk. Warm gently over low heat until just warm (do not boil), about 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk custard

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 4 whole eggs and 1 egg yolk, 14 oz sweetened condensed milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Slowly pour the warmed milk mixture into the egg mixture in a steady stream while whisking to temper the eggs and create a smooth custard.

Stir in 1 cup strained passion fruit pulp until fully incorporated. Taste and adjust: if you want a brighter flavor, add up to 2 tablespoons more pulp.

Strain custard

For an ultra-smooth flan, strain the combined custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a pouring jug to remove any coagulated egg or pulp bits.

Fill molds

Pour the strained custard evenly over the set caramel in the flan mold or divide among prepared ramekins.

Bake in a water bath (bain-marie)

Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Place the filled flan mold or ramekins in a large baking dish. Pour hot (not boiling) water into the baking dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the mold/ramekins. Carefully transfer to the oven and bake until the flan is set but still slightly jiggly in the center, about 45–55 minutes for a 9-inch mold or 30–40 minutes for individual ramekins. A thin knife inserted near the center should come out mostly clean.

Cool and chill

Remove the flan from the water bath and let it cool to room temperature. Once cooled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to fully set and develop flavor.

Unmold

To unmold, run a thin knife around the inner edge of the mold or ramekin to loosen. Place a serving plate upside down over the mold, then quickly invert and lift the mold to release the flan. The caramel will flow over the custard.

Garnish

If desired, spoon reserved passion fruit seeds over the flan or garnish with fresh passion fruit halves and mint leaves. Serve chilled.