Coconut Flan Recipe (Flan de Coco Dominicano)

Quick Summary: Coconut flan (flan de coco Dominicano) is a creamy baked custard made with sweetened condensed milk, coconut, and eggs, set over a simple caramel. It bakes in a water bath, then flips to reveal a coconut layer under a caramel top. Plan: it needs about 2 hours to chill and set before serving.

What is flan?

Flan is a baked custard dessert with a smooth, tender texture and a layer of caramel sauce on top. It is also known as "crème caramel" in French, caramel custard, or caramel pudding, and it has been made in one form or another since the Middle Ages.

Coconut flan is the tropical version, flavored with coconut milk, cream of coconut, or shredded coconut. It has roots in Latin America and the Caribbean, where it is a favorite for holidays and celebrations. In the Dominican Republic, a close cousin is known as quesillo dominicano, and this recipe follows the French-Caribbean style from the French Antilles.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Quick to make: it takes about an hour of hands-on work from start to finish.
• Simple ingredients: the recipe calls for just a handful of pantry staples.
• Made ahead: it needs to chill and set, so it is a stress-free choice for parties, birthdays, or a BBQ.
• Naturally gluten-free: flan de coco (flan de coco receta in Spanish) has no flour, so it works for gluten-free guests.
• Two textures in one: a biscuit-like coconut layer sits under a creamy custard and a caramel top.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Evaporated milk: You will need a bit less than one can of evaporated milk.

• Sweetened condensed milk: You will need about one can of store-bought sweetened condensed milk; I used the Carnation one by Nestlé. You can also make condensed milk at home.

• Brown sugar: Use golden brown sugar or replace it with dark brown sugar.

• Eggs: The recipe calls for large eggs. Bring them to room temperature 30-60 minutes before you start.

• Water: Use cold water to make the flan.

• Coconut: The recipe calls for shredded coconut.

• Sugar: Use regular granulated sugar or caster sugar to make the caramel.

Equipment

You need only a few basic tools to make this coconut flan:

• 9-inch (23 cm) pie pan, round cake pan, or flan mold
• Heavy-bottomed small saucepan for the caramel
• Large roasting pan or deep baking dish for the water bath
• Mixing bowls
• Hand whisk
• Rubber spatula
• Sharp knife

How to make coconut flan

Step 1. Heat oven to 390°F (200°C). Prepare a 9-inch/23 cm pie pan or pie plate to pour caramel right away.

Make wet caramel

Step 2. To make the caramel, pour water into a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, add white sugar, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat (photo 1). Heat the sugar until the caramel turns golden (photo 2).

Expert tip: Watch for your caramel to avoid overcooking. Once it turns golden brown, remove it from the heat!

Step 3. Pour the caramel into the bottom of the prepared pan (photo 3) and let it cool down.

Make custard

Step 4. To make the custard, add whole eggs and brown sugar to a separate bowl and whisk with a hand whisk. Add evaporated milk and combine (photo 4).

Step 5. Add sweetened condensed milk and cold water, and whisk again. Finally, add coconut and mix (photo 5). Pour the preparation into the pie tin over the caramel (photo 6).

Pro tip: A water bath (bain marie) is crucial while baking flan: slow baking prevents getting a scrambled egg-textured custard. It is the same technique used to make cheesecakes.

Step 6. To prepare a flan water bath, place a flan pan in the center of the large roasting pan, baking dish, or frying pan. Remove the oven rack (no baking sheet) and place the pan with the flan inside the empty frying pan.

Step 7. Carefully pour the warm water around the flan dish until the water level reaches halfway up the edges of the dish.

Step 8. Push the oven rack back in the preheated oven and bake the flan for 50-60 minutes (photos 7-8).

Step 9. When the flan is baked, use oven mitts to carefully remove the pan from the oven without spilling the hot water.

Step 10. Let the flan cool to room temperature in the water bath. Then remove the flan pan from the large container.

Step 11. Once the flan has cooled, slide a sharp knife between the custard and the sides of the pan. Next, invert the serving plate onto the flan tin and flip the pan and plate with a quick movement. If it doesn't slide out immediately, let it sit inverted for a minute or two: it will finally slide out.

Step 12. Lift the flan pan. The flan will be covered with caramel topping, while the coconut forms a biscuit-like base.

Step 13. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the remaining caramel from the bottom of the dish onto the flan. The hardened caramel will remain in the pan, which is fine.

Step 14. Decorate the top of the flan with roasted coconut flakes or coconut chips. Let the flan set for 2 hours.

Expert tips

1. Make sure a heavy-duty pan is ready to pour the caramel in. Once the caramel turns golden, pour it right away until it hardens.
2. While cooking the caramel, either stir it constantly or rotate the pan on the stove without a spoon. It is essential to catch the right color of ready caramel!
3. Tilt the pan in every direction to get a nice coating of caramel in the pan. Then let it harden.
4. Keep the flan (still in the pan) in the fridge until ready to serve. Before serving, bring it to the oven at 355°F (180°C) for a few minutes to liquefy the caramel. Then flip it over and serve.
5. For an easier caramel, you can melt the sugar with a splash of water directly in a stovetop-safe metal mold, then tilt it to coat the base and sides. Use heat-proof gloves, as the mold gets very hot.
6. When storing, keep the flan in its pan and cover it, or transfer it to an airtight container, so the edges do not dry out in the cold fridge air.

Recipe variations

Flan is one of the most adaptable custards, and coconut flan has many regional versions. Here are ways to change it up:

• With condensed milk: this recipe uses sweetened condensed milk for a rich, slightly denser custard.
• With coconut milk: swap in coconut milk (Spanish-style flan de coco) for a lighter, softer set.
• Dominican quesillo: flan de coco is close to quesillo dominicano, often blended and baked until very smooth.
• Puerto Rican flan de coco: made with evaporated and whole milk, eggs, and sugar.
• Mexican coconut flan: flavor the custard with coffee, chocolate, pumpkin, pineapple, or orange.
• Dairy-free: use full-fat coconut milk and coconut cream in place of dairy for a coconut-forward, dairy-free flan.
• Individual flans: divide the custard among ramekins and bake in a water bath, keeping them nestled close so they do not slide.
• Different pans: a glass or nonstick pie pan, a savarin mold, or a bundt pan all work, but do not confuse a flan pan for German fruit flan with the mold for this custard.

How to serve coconut flan

Serve coconut flan chilled, flipped onto a plate so the caramel runs down the sides. Spoon the extra caramel from the pan over each slice, and top with roasted coconut flakes or chips for crunch.

It pairs well with a cup of strong coffee and a few slices of fresh pineapple, mango, or berries. For a party, it makes a good finish to a Caribbean or Latin American meal, or serve it alongside other coconut desserts for coconut lovers.

Storing & freezing

Store the coconut flan in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freezing is not recommended. Because coconut flan is a custard, its smooth texture breaks down once it thaws, so it is best enjoyed fresh from the fridge.

Recipe FAQ

What is the difference between flan and crème brûlée?
Flan and crème brûlée are both smooth baked custards. The main difference is that flan has a denser texture and is topped with a soft, pourable caramel sauce, while crème brûlée is lighter and topped with a layer of hard, torched caramelized sugar. Flan comes from Latin American cuisine, while crème brûlée is French.

What is coconut flan made of?
Coconut flan is made of eggs, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, sugar, water, and coconut, set over a simple caramel of sugar and water.

Where does flan de coco come from?
Flan itself dates back to the Middle Ages, but coconut flan (flan de coco) is a Latin American and Caribbean favorite. This version has a French-Caribbean touch from the Antilles, which is why it is also called flan au coco antillais.

Does flan have gelatin?
No. Flan, or crème caramel, is an egg-based custard set only by baking. It contains no gelatin.

Do you need to cover flan with foil while baking?
No. You do not need to cover the flan with aluminum foil while it bakes.

Can you make coconut flan ahead of time?
Yes. Make it at least 2 hours ahead so it has time to chill and set, and it keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days.

What is the difference between flan de coco and quesillo?
They are very close. In the Dominican Republic, coconut flan is often called quesillo de coco. Many cooks say a quesillo is made with whole eggs (which give a slightly spongier, bubbly texture), while flan uses more yolks for a smoother, denser custard. Both share the same condensed-milk base and caramel top.

How many calories are in coconut flan?
One serving of this coconut flan has about 340 calories.

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Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.

The recipe was adapted from https://www.meilleurduchef.com. It was originally published on February 23, 2018. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos.