DessertsMedium

Neapolitan Flan

Name: Neapolitan Flan
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 tbsp Water; 200 g Sugar for the caramel; 1 tsp Vanilla extract; 5 Eggs; 1 lata (397 g) Condensed milk; 1 lata (360 ml) Evaporated milk; 190 g Cream cheese

80 min (20 prep + 60 cook) Medium 8 servings Nacional

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 4 Feb 2026 · Updated: 10 Mar 2026

Silky-smooth baked custard with cream cheese, bathed in golden caramel.

About this recipe

Flan napolitano is Mexico's most beloved dessert: a luxuriously creamy baked custard made with condensed milk, evaporated milk and cream cheese, set over a layer of glistening caramel. Baked gently in a bain-marie until just set, it is chilled overnight and turned out to reveal its gorgeous amber glaze. Every family gathering and celebration features this irresistible treat.

History & Origin

Flan arrived in México during the Spanish Conquest in the sixteenth century, inherited from the Arab-Spanish confectionery tradition that the Moors introduced to the Iberian Peninsula. In México it was reinvented as flan napolitano by incorporating cream cheese, condensed milk and evaporated milk — ingredients that gave it a denser texture and a richer flavour than the original European flan. It is the unmissable dessert at christenings, weddings and family celebrations, where every household boasts of having the best recipe. Traditionally it is prepared in aluminium flan moulds with lids and cooked in a bain-marie, a method that guarantees its silky texture and its characteristic golden liquid caramel.

Estimated cost

£10.32

Total cost

£1.29

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

310

Calories

Protein

43g

Carbohydrates

11g

Fat

Fibre

101mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Prepare a 22 cm round flan tin and have a larger roasting tin ready for the bain-marie.
2
Make the caramel: place the sugar and 3 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Do not stir; simply tilt the pan gently to distribute. Cook for 5-8 minutes until you have a deep golden amber colour.
💡 If you stir the caramel it will crystallise. Just swirl the pan with gentle circular movements.
3
Immediately pour the caramel into the flan tin, carefully tilting to coat the base and part of the sides. Leave to cool while you prepare the custard mixture.
💡 Use oven gloves; the caramel is extremely hot.
4
In a blender, combine the condensed milk, evaporated milk, cream cheese (at room temperature), 5 eggs and the teaspoon of vanilla. Blend for 2 minutes on high speed until completely smooth and lump-free.
5
Pour the mixture over the set caramel in the flan tin. Cover tightly with aluminium foil, sealing the edges well to prevent water getting in.
6
Place the flan tin inside the larger roasting tin and pour hot water into the outer tin until it reaches halfway up the side of the flan tin (bain-marie).
7
Bake at 180°C for 60 minutes. The flan is done when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. The surface should be firm but with a slight wobble when you move the tin.
8
Carefully remove from the oven. Leave to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
💡 The longer it rests in the fridge, the firmer and silkier it becomes.
9
To turn out, run a thin knife around the edges, place a serving plate on top and flip over with a firm, confident motion. The liquid caramel will cascade over the flan. Serve chilled.