Instant Pot Flan Recipe
Instant Pot Flan has a rich and creamy custard base infused with orange, vanilla, and rum, then topped with golden caramel sauce. This perfect treat only needs SIX minutes in the Instant Pot! The texture of the flan is absolutely divine, so creamy that it melts in your mouth!
Did you know that you can make the most delicate desserts in the instant pot? For example, try the amazing Creme Brûlée recipe or this delicious Pineapple Upside Down Cake! They taste and look fancy, which makes them our go-to recipes for parties!
This simple recipe makes a creamy flan that will quickly become one of your favorite recipes. What you get is a rich, tender custard covered with delicious caramel.
In addition, the rum extract and orange zest give it a complex, refreshing flavor that cuts through the richness. Taking only 6 minutes in the IP, this easy instant pot flan recipe is practically fool-proof and comes out perfect every time!
This amazing dessert will be the best thing you ate in a while! It is insanely flavorful and it has the best texture. Its simplicity does not lack in flavor complexity, and it’s perfect for small gatherings or parties.
Ingredients Needed:
This delicious instant pot flan is made with simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.
- Sugars: To make the sugar syrup we are caramelizing a combo of brown sugar and white sugar for this recipe. Aside from sweetness, the brown sugar also adds a beautiful amber color to this dessert.
- Hot water: Most importantly, it loosens up the hot caramel syrup so we can pour it into ramekins.
- Milk: Three kinds of milk contribute to the silky smooth texture of the flan— whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, and coconut milk! For a richer texture, use heavy cream instead of milk.
- Egg: Two whole eggs plus an egg yolk give both structure and richness to the caramel custard, plus a lovely golden color.
- Flavorings: Finally, we’re infusing this with vanilla, tart orange zest, plus a splash of rum extract for complexity. A dash of salt brings all the flavors together.
How to make Instant Pot flan from scratch
- Make the caramel syrup. First, add both sugars in a medium saucepan, then place it over medium-low heat, and DON’T TOUCH IT. Equally important is to wait while the sugar melts before swirling the pan around so there’s an even melt. Let it melt and keep watch until it turns a deep golden color, then remove ASAP from the heat before stirring in the hot water.
- Add to ramekins: Lastly, divide the liquid caramel equally between your jars, alternatively, you can use tiny springform pans, a flan pan, or a flan mold.
- Milk mixtures. First, add your coconut milk and whole milk to a medium saucepan, then heat both up just until you see bubbles around the edges, but DO NOT BOIL.
- Bring your custard together. Next, whisk all your eggs together with the condensed milk plus the salt, then stir in your hot milk. Follow this up with the flavorings.
- Sieve. Strain the combined warm milk mixture to get rid of lumps. Pour mixture into the caramel-coated jars.
- Arrange. Carefully arrange the pots on top of the trivet, then place in the IP with a cup of water on the bottom. Use a toothpick to burst and remove the air bubbles.
- Pressure cook: Pressure cook flan mixture for 6 minutes.
- Natural Release: After the IP beeps that the cooking time has been completed, do a 10-minute natural pressure release before opening the valve to release any remaining pressure.
- Cool. For best results, set aside the ramekins on a wire rack and let them cool to room temperature for 30 minutes, after that, chill in the fridge until cold.
- Serve. Lastly, loosen the custard from the sides of the pan with a knife and invert them onto a serving dish. Enjoy!
Recipe variations and substitutions:
- Coffee: Infuse the hot milk with some instant espresso powder for a delicious coffee hit.
- Chocolate: Mix in some cocoa powder into the milk for a decadent chocolate version!
- Vanilla: Skip the zest and rum extract. Instead, steep a vanilla pod into the hot mixture for a delicious vanilla flan recipe.
- Berry: Blend some fresh strawberries, blueberries, blackberries into the condensed mixture until smooth.
- Another citrus: You can also use lime or lemon zest for a tangier flavor.
- Extracts: Aside from rum, try using your favorite fruit and flavor extracts to infuse the custard.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a flan?
Also know by the name creme caramel, this is a creamy custard dessert that has Latin, Spanish, and Mexican roots. The main elements are an egg/milk-based custard with a caramel topping, which is usually steamed or baked in a water bath.
Should I cook it on Low or High pressure?
For this recipe, on high. First, it’s quicker (just 6 minutes!) Next, we need that high pressure to cook the custard mixture evenly.
Can you use a springform pan for the Pressure Cooker Flan?
We don’t recommend it, since it can seep out of the cracks. But if that’s all you have, cover the outside with a double layer of aluminum foil before starting the recipe to protect against seepage.
Can you over-cook flan in the electric pressure cooker?
Yes and that’s why it’s important to follow the cook times – both the pressure-cooking part and the natural release instructions. If you leave it in there for too long it will quickly overcook from the residual steam and pressure.
How to serve:
- Add a squirt of whip cream plus a light dusting of zest turns this into a delicious dessert that looks elegant, too!
- As an option, we also love serving it with sliced fresh fruits, crushed nuts, and shredded coconut for texture. Add a few berries and a mint leave into the center of the flan for a nice presentation.
- Also if you have a sweet tooth, try it with ice cream!
How to store leftovers:
- Cool it: First, cool it down, preferably in ramekins/jars so the desserts keep their shape.
- Chill: After that, cover with both cling and foil (you want to avoid moisture getting into the dessert and changing its texture), then store it in your fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Again, let it cool first, after that cover with plastic wrap, pressing it slightly so it touches the top of the desserts. Next, wrap well in foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw: Transfer the ramekins from the freezer to the fridge to thaw overnight. Serve.
More pressure cooker desserts to try:
Cooking tips:
- First, make sure you use room-temperature ingredients.
- It is very important to fully melt the sugar, otherwise, it will have a sandy texture.
- Also, make sure to not overbeat the ingredients when mixing.
- In addition, remember to remove the air bubbles with a toothpick!
Instant Pot Flan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons hot water
- 1 cup canned coconut milk full-fat
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon rum extract
Instructions
- Place a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, spread sugars over the bottom, and cook, without stirring until it begins to melt.
- After that, cook, stirring constantly, until melted sugar turns a deep amber color, about 2-3 minutes.
- Immediately remove the saucepan from heat and carefully stir in hot water until fully combined.
- Quickly pour the mixture into 6 hot 4-ounce jars (you can place the jars in boiling water before that).
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine coconut milk and whole milk and stir until bubbles form around the sides of the pan, but do NOT boil. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, whisk condensed milk, eggs, egg yolk, and salt until just blended but not foamy.
- Slowly stir in hot milk, stirring all the time. After that stir in vanilla, rum, and orange zest.
- Strain the mixture through a fine sieve and after that pour the mixture into the prepared jars. Cover each jar with foil tightly.
- Add a trivet to the 6-qt. Instant Pot and also add 1 cup of water.
- Arrange the jars on the trivet, offset-stacking as needed.
- Place the lid and lock it, make sure to close the pressure-release valve.
- Pressure-cook on high for 6 minutes, after that, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes; quick-release any remaining pressure.
- Cool jars for 30 minutes at room temperature and after that refrigerate until cold, about 1-3 hours.
- Run a knife around the sides of jars and invert flans onto dessert plates.
- Serve with fresh berries on the side.
Notes
- Don’t take your eyes off the caramel! Once it takes on an amber color, take it off the heat right away. It only takes a second to burn caramel, and you don’t want burnt sugar in this dessert.
- You can skip sieving the custard if you like. It will still turn out delicious, but we prefer having a very smooth custard.
- Cooling and chilling this treat are a must. You need to give it time to firm up.
Nutrition
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