Coconut Flan Recipe

Prepare a 1-quart (or 6-cup) round flan mold or a 9-inch round cake pan: have it clean and dry. Place the pan on a heatproof surface.

In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon water. Stir briefly to moisten the sugar, then stop stirring.

Over medium heat, cook the sugar mixture undisturbed until it melts and turns a deep amber color, 6–8 minutes. Swirl the pan occasionally to promote even melting and avoid burning.

As soon as the caramel reaches a deep amber (not burnt), remove from heat and carefully tilt the pan to pour the caramel into the flan mold, tilting the mold to coat the bottom evenly. If caramel hardens before spreading, warm the bottom of the mold briefly over low heat and add the optional 1 tsp hot water to loosen and swirl quickly. Set the mold aside to let the caramel firm slightly.

Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Place a kettle or pot on the stove to heat water for a water bath (bain-marie).

Warm the milks

In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk and canned coconut milk. Warm gently over medium-low heat until just steaming and small bubbles appear at the edges, about 5 minutes. Do not boil. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, lightly whisk the large eggs just until blended (do not whisk vigorously or create foam).

Slowly stream about 1/3 cup of the warm milk mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly to temper the eggs (this prevents curdling). Then whisk the tempered eggs back into the remaining warm milk in the saucepan or pour the warm milk over the eggs while whisking.

Add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and pinch of kosher salt to the combined milk-and-egg mixture. Whisk gently until fully incorporated and smooth.

If using shredded sweetened coconut for texture, stir it into the custard now. For an ultra-smooth flan, strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup or bowl to remove any coagulated egg bits and coconut solids. This step will give the silkiest texture.

Pour the warm custard mixture carefully over the set caramel in the flan mold.

Place the filled flan mold into a deep roasting pan. Pour enough hot water from the kettle into the roasting pan to reach halfway up the sides of the flan mold (bain-marie).

Carefully transfer the roasting pan to the preheated oven. Bake until the flan is set but still slightly wobbly in the center, about 45–55 minutes. Start checking at 40 minutes. A tester inserted near the center should come out mostly clean with a tiny bit of custard.

When done, remove the flan mold from the water bath and let it cool on a wire rack for 30–45 minutes. Then refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 4 hours or overnight to fully set and chill.

To unmold, run a thin knife around the inner edge of the mold to loosen the custard. Place a large plate (slightly larger than the mold) upside down over the mold. Holding both together, quickly invert the plate and mold; the flan should release and the caramel will flow over the custard. If it sticks, let the plate sit for a few seconds and try again; gentle taps on the mold can help release it.

If desired, sprinkle the top with toasted shredded coconut and a little lime zest for brightness. To toast coconut: in a small dry skillet over medium heat, stir shredded coconut until golden brown, 2–4 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.

Serve chilled in slices. Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.