Flan de Queso (Cream Cheese Flan)

This is the most delicious, decadent, and simple dessert to make! Flan de Queso is a cream cheese flan which is much creamier than the traditional flan. My dad, who claims he doesn't have much of a sweet tooth will go back to the fridge several times cutting another slice and yet another! For many people it reminds them of cheesecake and is much easier to make. The custard is cooked in a bano de maria (ban marie) which seems intimidating to many people, but is simply pouring hot water into a larger dish that the custard is baked in.




Flan de Queso

1 8 oz. block cream cheese
6 eggs
1 T vanilla extract
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
1 cup sugar

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.


Start by bringing all of your ingredients to room temperature. Pour one cup of sugar in a small saucepan and put it over low heat watching it carefully until it melts and turns golden. This can be the most tricky part of the recipe, but as long as you use a little patience and avoid turning up the heat, you should be fine. Pour the melted sugar in the bottom of a 9 inch glass pie dish and immediately swirl to coat the bottom. The sugar will harded rather quickly. Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add one egg at a time, mixing just until combined, followed by the vanilla. Add the condensed milk and lastly the evaporated. Pour the custard into the dish and cover with foil. Place the dish in a larger roasting pan with enough room for the water to make contact with the entire dish. I place the pan in the oven and then pour the water in, about half the way up. Bake about 50 minutes, although most recipes call for more than an hour of baking. Test the flan with a knife and pull out of the water bath when done, otherwise it will continue to cook.
Chill several hours, preferably overnight. When ready to serve run a knife around the edge of the flan and place a plate over the top and flip. Let the caramel drip down the sides of the flan and serve!
Que Rico!!