Caramel Flan Cheesecake

Caramel Flan Cheesecake

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ORIGIN AND HISTORY

Caramel Flan Cheesecake**

Caramel flan—creamy custard crowned with silky caramel—has a lineage that stretches back centuries. Though today it is considered a beloved Latin American dessert, its roots run deep into both Spanish and ancient Mediterranean culinary traditions.

Origins of Flan

The word flan comes from the Old French flaon, ultimately from the Latin flado, meaning “flat cake.” But long before medieval France named it, the concept of a baked egg custard had already taken shape.

One of the earliest precursors is tyropatina, an ancient Roman custard made of eggs, honey, and milk. Over time, European cooks sweetened, refined, and transformed this humble custard into the dessert we know today.

By the 16th century, Spanish cookbooks—including the works attributed to Ruperto de Nola—document variations of sweet flan. From Spain, flan traveled across the ocean during the colonial era and soon became a staple in Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and much of Latin America, where regional ingredients added new personality to the classic custard.

Origins of Cheesecake

While flan took shape in the Old World and blossomed in the New, cheesecake predates both by well over a millennium. Its story begins in ancient Greece.

The earliest written record of a cheesecake-like dish appears around 776 BC, where it was reportedly served to athletes during the first Olympic Games. Later, the Romans adopted and reinvented the dish, spreading it throughout Europe. When European settlers arrived in the Americas, they brought with them early versions of cheesecake, which eventually evolved into the iconic New York–style cheesecake recognized today.

A Modern Marriage: Flan-Cheesecake

Though the original creators of flan and cheesecake are lost to time, the fusion of the two—Caramel Flan Cheesecake—is a distinctly modern culinary innovation. Combining Latin American flan’s silky custard with cheesecake’s rich creaminess results in a luxurious hybrid dessert now beloved throughout the Americas.

Whether served at a holiday table, a family celebration, or a fine dining restaurant, caramel flan cheesecake is a universal crowd-pleaser—a sweet ending with centuries of history behind it.

CHRISTMAS FLAN–CHEESECAKE HYBRID

A Holiday Family Favorite

This dessert blends the creamy texture of traditional flan with the richness of cheesecake—an unforgettable centerpiece for your Christmas table.

EQUIPMENT

  • 10½-inch Gourmet Skillet
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Leak-Proof Spring-Form Pan
  • 5-qt Mixing Bowl
  • Whisk
  • Large Baking (Lasagna) Pan for Water Bath

PREPARATION TIME

1 hour 20 minutes • Serves 10–12

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 can (8½ oz) Coco LĂłpez
  • 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 packages (16 oz total) cream cheese
    • or homemade mascarpone (see optional recipe)
  • Fresh mint leaves and raspberries for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare the Water Bath

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Fill the baking pan halfway with hot water and place it on the center rack.

2. Dry Caramelize the Sugar

In the gourmet skillet over medium-high heat (about 340°F / 170°C):

  1. Add the sugar to the dry skillet—no water.
  2. Allow it to liquefy and caramelize.
    The natural moisture in sugar releases as steam, allowing it to melt.

Once the caramel reaches a deep golden color, carefully coat the inside of the spring-form pan with it. Set aside.

3. Prepare the Flan–Cheesecake Mixture

  1. Whisk the eggs until frothy.
  2. Add Coco LĂłpez, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and softened cream cheese.
  3. Whisk vigorously until smooth, but do not overbeat.

4. Bake

  • Pour the mixture into the leak-proof spring-form pan.
    • If your pan is not perfectly sealed, wrap the bottom and sides in plastic wrap and foil before placing it in the water bath.
  • Set the spring-form pan into the hot water bath.
  • Bake for 1 hour or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

5. Cool and Chill

  • Remove from oven and cool for 30 minutes.
  • Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

SERVING

  1. Run a thin, sharp knife around the inside of the pan to release the flan.
  2. Invert a platter over the pan.
  3. Release the spring-form latch and flip to unmold the flan.
  4. Let the caramel sauce cascade over the top.

Garnish with fresh mint leaves and raspberries.

Serve chilled—pure holiday perfection.