Flan de coco (coconut flan) recipe

Flan de coco

If you like coconut, it doesn’t get much better than flan de coco (coconut flan).  This is a tasty twist on a Latin American standard that is sure to please.

Flan (pronounced FLAHN) is a popular dessert that is eaten in Mexico as well as throughout Latin America and in Spain.  The traditional recipe is basically a custard made with eggs, sugar and milk and then baked in a water bath so that it makes its own caramel sauce.

Flan de coco is a slight variation on the original in that its texture is somewhat closer to that of a crustless coconut pie. It is made using a rich combination of eggs, milk and condensed milk but it is not cooked in a water bath and doesn’t have a caramel sauce. 

I learned this recipe from a good friend and one-time host mother, Fátima Álvarez.  It is a dessert that I make when in a pinch for time and need something delicious but easy to prepare.  I hope that you will give this one a try and that it will also serve you well.

Flan de coco

1 (14oz) can condensed milk
2 (empty condensed milk) cans whole milk – about 2 ¾ cups
6 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup shredded coconut
1 Tb rum (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine eggs and condensed milk and blend well with a whisk. Add in remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour  egg mixture into a large, greased baking dish (9x13 will work perfectly).  Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes or until set.  Remove from oven and allow to cool, then place in the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours.  Flavor will improve as it chills.

For more information:

Flan de coco con caramelo de naranja (coconut flan with orange caramel)
Flan de coco: Nothing Like the Holidays
Flan de Coco
 

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