This silky chocolate flan with hints of spicy cinnamon is a chilled Mexican dessert perfect for hot summer days! This easy make-ahead dessert has a smooth and creamy texture, with a rich chocolate flavor, all coated in a toasty caramel sauce.
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Why I Love This Creamy Flan
Growing up, flan was always a special treat in our household. I remember my mom making it for family gatherings, and it was always a hit, especially her coffee flan. This chocolate flan has become my go-to dessert for special occasions, with its rich chocolate flavor and creamy texture. Here’s why I think you will love it too:
- Oh So Creamy: This chocolate flan is silky and smooth, combining the rich flavors of chocolate with the creamy texture of classic flan.
- Easy Make-Ahead: Prepared in advance with just a few simple steps and then chilled, flan is the perfect easy dessert for entertaining!
- Family-Friendly: Even if you’ve got picky eaters at home, everyone loves a creamy chocolate dessert.
- Not Overly Sweet: Melty caramel and sweetened condensed milk give this recipe a balance of delicate sweetness.
Key Ingredients
Below you will find helpful notes for key ingredients used to make this chocolate flan recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and exact amounts!
- Chocolate: I used semi-sweet chocolate chips, but milk, bitter, or dark chocolate will work too. If you use a chocolate bar, chop it into small pieces.
- Evaporated Milk: Heavy cream is a great swap, but evaporated milk is a little lighter and more affordable.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: It adds milky richness and the sugar for sweetness. There is no swap for this ingredient, do not skip it!
- Cocoa Powder: Use any kind of cocoa powder as long as it’s unsweetened.
How to Make Chocolate Flan
As long as there’s always water in the water bath, this creamy chocolate flan is pretty much fail-proof. Below is a quick recipe overview, but please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions.
- Make the caramel: Add the granulated sugar to a pan and cook until completely melted and golden, stirring continuously. Pour the caramel into a bundt pan or flanera and set it aside to cool.
- Melt the chocolate: Add the chocolate and 4 tablespoons evaporated milk to a bowl. Microwave it and stir in intervals until melted and smooth.
- Blend the flan mixture: Pour the melted chocolate and remaining ingredients into the blender. Process everything until smooth. Pour the mixture into the pan on top of the caramel layer.
- Prepare the water bath: Seal the flanera or cover the bundt pan with foil. Place it inside a large roasting pan or casserole dish. Pour in water until it’s halfway up the sides of the flanera.
- Baking the flan: Place the flanera into the oven until the edges are set, but the center is slightly jiggly.
- Chill: Remove the flan from the oven and water bath. Set the flanera on a wire rack until completely cooled. Then refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, or overnight for best results.
- Remove the mold: Run a knife around the edge of the flan to loosen it up. Place a plate over the flanera, press them together, and flip them over so that the flanera is on top of the plate. Gently wiggle the flanera upward.
- Serve: Spoon leftover caramel on top, serve, and enjoy!
Chef’s Tips and Variations
- Don’t curdle the eggs: You must let the caramel cool completely in the flanera before adding the flan mixture. If it’s still warm or hot, you risk cooking the eggs in the mixture.
- Let it chill: Letting the flan chill in the baking pan overnight (in the fridge) before inverting it onto a plate allows more of the caramel to melt and form around the flan. Serving it right away means more caramel will stay stuck to the flanera.
- Leave it shut: Don’t open the oven door as the flan bakes. Doing so lowers the oven’s internal temperature, affecting baking time and texture. The only exception is if all the water in the water bath has evaporated. Then, you may add more hot water as needed to prevent the bottom from burning.
- Choose the right pan: If you’re using a bundt pan, choose a simple design. The more complex it is, the higher the chances of the flan sticking to it and breaking when you remove it from the mold.
- Tap it: The flan mixture shouldn’t have air bubbles when you pour it into the flanera. Tap the blender on all sides with your fingers to make them surface. You can also pour the mixture into the flanera and then tap it on the counter 2-3 times to remove air bubbles.
- Cool down the chocolate: If you’re not sure the melted chocolate is still hot, it’s better to blend it with the evaporated milk until completely smooth before adding the eggs. This way there’s no residual heat that could cook the eggs.
- Make it creamier: Like in my favorite queso flan, you can add 4 oz of cream cheese to the blender to give your flan a thicker, creamier texture.
Yield: 8 servings
Chocolate Flan
This rich and creamy chocolate flan recipe with cinnamon is an easy make-ahead dessert served chilled, making it perfect for hot summer days!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate
- 1 (15 oz) can evaporated milk, or heavy cream
- 1 (12 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 5 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
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Instructions
- In a small sauce pan over medium-low heat, cook sugar, stirring often, while the sugar melts. Cook sugar until it turns golden caramel color, this will take about 8 to 10 minutes and shouldn’t be hurried or it can burn.
- Once the sugar is the correct color, work quickly and pour it into a flanera (or an 8-inch round baking pan or bundt pan). Tilt the pan until the caramel covers the bottom, allowing the caramel to go as high as possible around the sides. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the chocolate pieces and a couple of tablespoons of evaporated milk in a bowl. Heat in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds, then stir until smooth. Make sure all the chocolate is melted.
- Add the melted chocolate to a blender. Then add the milks, eggs, cocoa powder, vanilla and cinnamon. Blend until smooth.
- Lightly bang the blender 2 or 3 times on the counter to pop the bubbles. Pour the mixture into the cooled pan.
- Water Bath: If using a flanera pan, seal the lid. If using a regular baking dish, tightly cover the pan with foil. Place flan pan inside a larger baking dish. Place the pan into the oven, then carefully pour water into the outer pan until water reaches half way up the sides of the pan with the flan.
- Bake for 50 minutes. The edges should be cooked but the middle will still be a little bit jiggly. Check the flan for doneness, by inserting a knife near the center. If it comes out clean, the flan is done. If it is not done, cover and continue baking for another 10 minutes.
- Remove the flan from the water bath and cool completely on the counter, and then refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight) before un-molding.
- To un-mold, run a knife around the edge of the flan, then place a plate upside down over the pan. Hold the pan and plate tightly and flip them over. Gently lift the pan off of the flan. Scrape any remaining caramel sauce over the top of the flan and serve.
Notes
Store Leftovers: Store flan whole or sliced in an airtight container for up to 7 days. You can also tightly cover the flanera with foil to reduce clean-up. Keep the flan away from strong-smelling foods to avoid the transfer of odors. Serve it chilled, straight out of the fridge.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 412kcal, Carbohydrates: 56g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 147mg, Sodium: 157mg, Potassium: 463mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 53g, Vitamin A: 417IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 289mg, Iron: 2mg
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so creamy!!!! I made this for a bbq and it was a total hit, very sweet and refreshing