Venezuelan Flan (Quesillo)

For this recipe you will need a round tin that’s 7″ diameter by about 2.5″ tall with a tight lid. This is also called a “flan mold”. If you’re in a pinch I’ve used a cookie tin with success.

Preheat oven to 350°F. The Quesillo will be cooked using a “bain-marie” or water bath method. So fill a roasting pan about halfway full of water and put it in the oven as it preheats.

Melt sugar in a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. No water is needed to make the caramel. Keep stirring the mixture so all the sugar melts evenly. Be careful because it can go from a nice brown color to burnt black very quickly.

Pour the sugar into the flan container. Make sure to tilt it to coat the sides of the container. This will ensure that the egg/milk mixture does not come in contact with the container itself (see picture on the related blog link).

In a mixing bowl, blend the eggs, milk, condensed milk and vanilla extract. Fold the mixture with a spatula then tap bowl against the counter to remove some of the bubbles created by blending.

Make sure the caramel has cooled a bit (you don’t want to fry the eggs) and pour the egg mixture into the flan container.

Put the lid on the tin and place it inside your water bath in the oven. Don’t let the water go over the rim of the tin. Bake for 45 minutes.

Then uncover the flan mold and cook for another 15 minutes. This is tricky to do without burning a finger. I generally use a knife to pry open the lid, making it easier to remove without injury.

When done, carefully remove the pans from the oven and remove the flan mold from the water. It’s best to let the Quesillo cool to room temperature then place in the fridge overnight. This will limit the chances of it cracking when you flip it out of the tin.

When you are ready to serve, make sure to slide a knife around the edges of the pan to ensure the flan is fully loose before placing a plate on top and flipping.