Instant Pot Dulce de Leche Flan with Caramel Crust
A silky, Latin American custard dessert made in the Instant Pot, layered with a buttery caramel crust and topped with creamy dulce de leche–infused custard. The pressure cooker method ensures even, gentle cooking that results in a pudding-like texture without the traditional water bath fussiness. Serve chilled with the caramel pooling at the bottom—the hallmark of a perfect flan.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Wait
- 2 hr
- Total
- 2 hr 50 min
- Makes
- 1 flan (8 servings)
Steps
Before you start
- Have eggs at room temperature for even mixing
- Use a 7-inch (18 cm) round springform pan or 8-inch (20 cm) cake pan that fits inside your Instant Pot
- Add 1.5 cups (360 ml) water to the Instant Pot and insert the trivet before starting
- Read through all steps—the caramel step requires attention to prevent burning
Make caramel crustOven 350°F / 175°C
- In a medium saucepan, combine 0.75 cup (150 g) granulated sugar and 2 tbsp (30 ml) water.
- Heat over medium-high, stirring gently with a fork until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes clear, about 2–3 minutes.
- Stop stirring and let it bubble gently, occasionally tilting the pan to ensure even color, for 5–8 minutes until it reaches a deep golden-amber color (about 340–350°F/170–175°C on a candy thermometer).
- Remove from heat and quickly stir in 2 tbsp (28 g) room-temperature butter and 0.25 tsp (1.5 g) sea salt until smooth.
- Pour the caramel into the bottom of your prepared 7-inch (18 cm) springform pan or 8-inch (20 cm) cake pan, tilting gently to coat the base and slightly up the sides.
- Work quickly—the caramel sets fast.
- Set aside to cool and harden for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Caramel reaches deep golden-amber color (340–350°F) and becomes hard as it cools
Tip: Do not stir once the sugar mixture is clear—you'll cause crystallization. Tilt the pan instead. Work quickly after removing from heat; the caramel hardens fast.
Blend custard mixture
- In a blender or food processor, combine one 14 oz (397 g) can sweetened condensed milk, 0.75 cup (180 ml) evaporated milk, 5 room-temperature eggs, 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract, 0.25 cup (50 g) granulated sugar, and 0.125 tsp (0.75 g) sea salt.
- Blend on medium-high speed for 1–2 minutes until completely smooth and pale, scraping down the sides once if needed.
- The mixture should be uniform with no visible egg streaks.
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Ready when: Mixture is completely smooth, pale, and uniform with no egg streaks
Tip: Blending ensures the custard is silky and even; do not whisk by hand as this incorporates too much air, creating bubbles in the final flan.
Pour custard and prepare Instant Pot
- Strain the blended custard through a fine-mesh sieve into the caramel-lined pan, pressing gently to remove any small air bubbles or egg white bits.
- The custard should be smooth and silky.
- Add 1.5 cups (360 ml) water to your Instant Pot (6- or 8-quart) and insert the metal trivet.
- Create a foil sling by folding a 12-inch (30 cm) piece of aluminum foil lengthwise three times to form a strip.
- Place the pan on the sling, then use the sling to lower the pan onto the trivet—the sling keeps the pan elevated and will help you remove it safely after cooking.
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Ready when: Pan is centered on the trivet with the foil sling in place; custard is smooth and ready to cook
Tip: Do not overfill the Instant Pot; the water should not touch the bottom of the pan. The foil sling makes safe removal much easier.
Set Instant Pot and cook
- Lock the Instant Pot lid in place.
- Set to high pressure (full pressure) for 30 minutes.
- The Instant Pot will take 5–7 minutes to come to pressure (this time is not included in the cooking time).
- Once cooking begins, do not move or open the lid.
- After 30 minutes, the timer will beep.
- Use a natural pressure release—do not touch the valve.
- Let the pot sit undisturbed for 15 minutes, then carefully open the vent to release any remaining steam.
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Ready when: Flan is set around the edges but jiggers very slightly in the center when the pan is gently shaken (it will continue to set as it cools)
Tip: Do not open the lid during cooking or use quick release; the sudden pressure drop can cause the delicate custard to bubble and crack.
Remove and cool
- Carefully open the Instant Pot lid, tilting it away from you.
- Using the foil sling, gently lift the pan out of the pot and place it on a heat-safe surface or wire rack.
- The flan will jiggle in the center—this is normal.
- Let it cool to room temperature on the counter for about 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to 24 hours) until completely chilled and set.
- The center will firm up considerably as it cools.
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Ready when: Flan is completely chilled and set throughout; it should barely jiggle when moved gently
Tip: Patience is key—a fully chilled flan will release cleanly from the pan and slice beautifully. Rushing risks a broken flan.
Unmold and serve
- Run a thin, flexible knife around the edge of the flan to loosen it from the sides of the pan.
- If using a springform pan, unlatch the sides.
- Place a rimmed serving plate (larger than the pan) upside down over the flan.
- Hold both the pan and the plate firmly and quickly flip the flan onto the plate so the caramel and crust are now on top.
- Lift away the pan.
- If any caramel remains in the pan, warm it slightly and pour it over the top of the flan.
- Serve chilled, cutting wedges with a warm, wet knife for clean slices.
- The flan should be creamy in texture with a pooling caramel layer.
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Ready when: Flan is unmolded and caramel pools on top; each slice reveals the creamy custard below
Tip: A warm knife makes slicing clean and easy; dip the knife in hot water and wipe dry between cuts.
Good to know
Tips
- The key to silky flan is blending the custard mixture thoroughly to incorporate no air bubbles—hand-whisking creates bubbles that mar the surface. Straining the blended mixture removes any remaining air.
- For a foolproof water level in the Instant Pot, the water should come about halfway up the sides of the flan pan, not touching the bottom. Too much water risks diluting or cracking the flan.
- Resist opening the lid during cooking and use natural pressure release, not quick release. The gentle, gradual cooling inside the sealed pot ensures the custard stays silky and does not curdle.
- A warm, wet knife makes unmolding and slicing dramatically easier. Dip a thin, flexible knife in hot water, wipe it dry, and work gently around the edge. For slicing, use the same technique between cuts for clean edges.
Storage & reheating
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Do not freeze. To reheat, serve directly from the cold state or let warm to cool room temperature (about 1 hour). The flan tastes best when properly chilled.
Substitutions
- sweetened condensed milk → 1 cup (240 ml) dulce de leche spread mixed with 0.25 cup (60 ml) whole milk. This intensifies the dulce de leche flavor for those who prefer extra richness, though the original recipe is already rich with condensed milk.
- evaporated milk → Heavy cream or whole milk. Use heavy cream for a richer texture or whole milk for a lighter flan; the texture will be slightly less custard-like with milk, but still creamy.
- vanilla extract → Rum, brandy, or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste. Rum adds a subtle boozy note; paste provides a more complex vanilla flavor. Use 1 tsp alcohol if substituting rum or brandy.
- granulated sugar → Brown sugar for a deeper, molasses-forward caramel. Use the same weight of packed brown sugar; the caramel will be slightly darker and richer but still achieves the proper color and hardness.
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