Flan de Coco (Coconut Flan)

Name: Flan de Coco (Coconut Flan)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 550 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Latin American
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups white sugar; 1/2 cup fresh shredded coconut; 6 large eggs; 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk; 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk; 1/2 cup whole milk

Recipe GLPRd7182978911275

Latin American

Dessert

550 min

297 cal

Servings: 12

Oven

SNAP eligible

A silky, creamy coconut custard dessert with a caramelized sugar base. This classic Spanish flan combines evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, fresh shredded coconut, and eggs for a rich, decadent treat. The caramel forms a glossy amber shell that melts into the delicate custard as it bakes. Served chilled, this elegant dessert is naturally gluten-free and perfect for any occasion.

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Ingredients

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup fresh shredded coconut

6 large eggs

1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup whole milk

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of the white sugar. Heat over medium heat without stirring, but gently shake the pan occasionally until the sugar begins to melt around the edges.
Continue cooking the sugar, occasionally shaking the pan, until it is completely melted and has turned a deep golden brown color. Do not stir during this process.
Carefully pour the hot caramel into a large glass baking dish, working quickly to distribute it evenly across the bottom. Set the dish aside to allow the caramel to cool and harden, about 15 minutes.
While the caramel cools, add the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk, eggs, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and fresh shredded coconut to a blender.
Blend the mixture on high speed for 3 minutes, until completely smooth and well combined.
Pour the blended custard mixture over the hardened caramel in the baking dish.
Place the baking dish in a larger roasting pan and fill the roasting pan with hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the baking dish, creating a water bath.
Carefully transfer the water bath setup to the preheated oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the custard is just set but still slightly jiggly in the very center.
Remove the flan from the oven and water bath. Allow it to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
To serve, run a thin knife around the edges of the flan to loosen it, then invert onto a serving plate so the caramel sauce flows over the custard.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4.5

This is a Charlotte-friendly dessert built on ingredients stocked everywhere—sugar, eggs, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and coconut are all standard at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Kroger, Walmart, and ALDI—with no special trips required. The cost per serving is low, maybe 60–80 cents, driven only by sugar and the three milk products, which are budget staples. The stated 550 minutes is honest; this accounts for the caramelizing sugar, baking in a water bath, and crucial refrigeration time overnight, and that commitment means the recipe teaches real technique rather than cutting corners. It reheats poorly (flan is best eaten cold and can weep if warmed), so plan to serve it all in one sitting, but that fits a dinner party or a family dessert spread over several days. The only minor drawback is that it does not feed a crowd quickly and demands patience, which is the honest nature of custard work rather than a flaw.