Flan de Calabaza (Pumpkin Flan)

Full of fall flavors is this flan de calabaza or pumpkin flan. Covered with a layer of silky caramel that makes every bite delicious. 

Flan de Calabaza

Flan de Calabaza is the Spanish translation for Pumpkin Flan. It is a sweet custard dessert. Its base is made with eggs, condensed milk, evaporated milk, a touch of vanilla and pumpkin. Blended and cooked over a layer of caramel. Once cooked the flan is flipped over and caramel just flows over the flan. If you wonder how flan tastes well it is very creamy, very smooth and very delicious. This is one dessert that you should try at least once.

Who Invented Flan?

Flan dates back to the middle ages. It was first made by the Roman people but it was made as a savory dish. The Romans named it flado. Then the actual flan we know today was made by Spaniards and then it traveled all over Latin America and the Caribbean when they visited these countries.

Now, flan is very popular in Latin America. In Colombia it is called leche asada, in Peru crema volteada, flan de huevo in Chile and quesillo in Venezuela. It is also made in the Philippines and is called leche flan, while in Puerto Rico it is simply called flan. Pumpkin flan is very popular around Thanksgiving and the Christmas season. Now there’s not only pumpkin flan but also coconut flan, cheese flan and many more.

Do I have to Stir the caramel?

Well I know there are a lot of people who say you should never stir. This is because when you stir you can create little sugar balls and at the beginning, your sugar will clump. But to tell you the truth I have always stirred the caramel. Do I get little balls in the caramel? Yes, sometimes I do. Does the caramel stick to every tool I use to stir? Yes! But I never burn my caramel while doing it this way. But you use the method you prefer as long as you don’t burn the caramel.

What is the best way to cook Flan?

The best method to cook flan is in a bain marie which is just a hot water bath. Many people know that you can cook flan in the oven. But not a lot of people know that flan can be cooked on the stove. You can use a flanera which is a mold specially made to be used in a bain marie. Or you can do as my aunt always did. She used a round cookie tin that she saved after we ate the cookies. This tin was great because it had a lid. Then she will take a big pot, put in the flan and add water.

What to serve with?

You can serve flan as a dessert next to any meal. It can be next to baked chicken, stewed chicken and even when you have fried chicken for dinner. You can also serve pumpkin flan in your thanksgiving dinner next to arroz con gandules, turkey or even ham.

Can I make pumpkin flan ahead?

Yes, you can make flan ahead of time. You just have to keep in mind that flan will be best in your fridge for no more than 5 days. As for freezing flan, I have never done it so I wouldn’t know. If you do let me know how it worked out.

How to store?

To store a pumpkin flan you should cover it with foil, plastic wrap or in an airtight container.

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How to Make Flan de Calabaza

1. You want to first peel and cut your pumpkin. Cook for about 8 minutes. You can skip this step if you have canned pumpkin puree.

2. One of the most important steps is making the caramel. Your flan base can taste amazing but if you burn the caramel it will ruin the whole flan. The trick with the caramel is to go slow and steady. Heat your sugar over medium heat and always keep an eye on it. Then pour into your mold.

3. Blend all of your ingredients.

4. Pour your flan mix into your mold. Make a bain marie bath and to the oven goes. Bake for 1 hour.

5. Cool your flan and then refrigerate. You can skip this step and eat it warm. But let me tell you that hot flan has never been good on my belly. So I let it chill for a bit.

6. The best part besides eating is the unmolding. My trick to unmold is to put the mold with the flan on a pan with a little bit of hot water. The reason for this is because if you refrigerated the flan the caramel probably got cold. This will make it hard and most likely half of it will stay in your mold.

Ingredients

1. Sugar- I used white sugar to make the caramel but you can substitute for brown sugar if that’s what you have. But your caramel will look a little darker but that’s alright. It will still taste amazing.

2. Pumpkin- I always love using fresh pumpkins when available. If all you have is canned pumpkin puree then feel free to use it.

3. Evaporated milk- Use a 12 ounce can. It helps give the flan a very rich taste.

4. Condensed Milk- Condensed milk is what is used to sweeten the pumpkin flan.

5. Vanilla- I used vanilla extract.

6. Eggs- I use 5 eggs. If you use more it will have an eggy flavor.

7. Cinnamon & Allspice- this is all you will need for spices. A little bit of cinnamon and allspice goes a long way. If you don’t have allspice you can substitute with nutmeg.