This Instant Pot Flan / Caramel Custard (Banh Flan) recipe is a cinch to make with the help of everyone’s favorite electric pressure cooker. If you haven’t had Flan / Caramel Custard before, you’re in for a decadent treat. This chilled dessert is a silky and sweet custard made with just a few simple ingredients: eggs, milk and sugar. Whip up the Instant Pot Flan in minutes, easily pressure cook it and then chill in the fridge until it’s time to serve. This Instant Pot Flan recipe is simple, delicious and has a huge wow factor. Make some today to enjoy!
Notes on the Instant Pot Flan / Caramel Custard (Banh Flan) Recipe, Tips and Tricks
Use a 4 cup heat-safe bowl for cooking the sugar. Be very careful when handling the bowl from the microwave. The bowl and caramel sauce are extremely hot. Avoid touching the sauce with your fingers.
My microwave is 1050 watts and I cook the sugar for exactly 3 minutes to get a golden caramel color. A lighter caramel is sweeter and a darker caramel is more bitter. Cook the caramel to your taste preference. When cooking the sugar in the microwave, add just 5 seconds at a time and then wait for 1 minute to see if the caramel is the desired color. Keep in mind the caramel is still deepening in color even after the cooking time is completed. Be careful not to burn the sugar. It happens very quickly.
Instead of the using the microwave, cook the sugar on the stovetop. Cook using Medium Low heat for approximately 5 minutes.
For a light citrus taste, add 1 tsp lemon juice to the sugar mixture before cooking. The lemon juice also prevents the sugar from recrystallizing.
Whole milk makes a rich and thick custard. Optionally, substitute with low-fat milk. Non-fat milk works but the custard may be a soft-set.
The 4 cup bowl fits in both the 6 quart Instant Pot and 8 quart Instant Pot. (I have the 8 quart Instant Pot.) This recipe yields 2 cups custard. The Flan can be cooked in individual ramekins. If making the Instant Pot Flan in 4 ramekins, steam for 8 minutes.
Use Low Pressure to cook the Flan. High Pressure will cause the custard to boil and develop bubbles. This will result in an “eggy” scrambled egg-like texture rather than a silky and smooth custard.
After pressure cooking, the center may be a bit jiggly. This is normal. Avoid jiggling the bowl as this will cause the custard to crack.
Refrigerate the Instant Pot Flan for at least 6 hours. Overnight is best and helps the Flan to set up nice and thick.
Watch the video for instructions.
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Instant Pot Flan / Caramel Custard / Banh Flan
Ingredients
Caramel
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp water
Custard
2 large eggs
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups whole milk
Directions
Making the Caramel
In a 4 cup heat-safe bowl combine the sugar and water.
Transfer the bowl into the microwave and cook on High power for 3 minutes or until the syrup is golden.
Carefully swirl the caramel sauce coating the bottom half of the bowl.
Set aside and allow to cool while continuing with the next steps.
Making the Custard
In a large measuring cup, add the whole eggs, egg yolks and vanilla extract. Gently whisk together until combined.
Add the sugar and milk. Whisk together until thoroughly combined.
Strain the custard into the caramel bowl using a fine mesh strainer.
Cover the bowl with aluminum foil sealing it well. Optionally secure with a cooking band.
Add 1 1/2 cups boiling water into the Instant Pot cooking pot.
Place the bowl on top of a steam rack or trivet and transfer into the pot. Cover with the lid and set the steam release handle to “Sealing”.
Set the pressure cooker to “Steam” mode using Low Pressure and the cook time to 12 minutes. (It takes about 8 minutes to come to pressure.)
Once the cook time is completed, allow for a natural pressure release (NPR) of 10 minutes.
Transfer the bowl from the Instant Pot. Remove the foil. Let the Flan cool on the counter for 1 hour.
Transfer the Flan into the refrigerator and chill for at least 6 hours.
Serving the Instant Pot Flan / Caramel Custard
To serve, run a knife around the flan to loosen it from the bowl.
Invert the bowl onto a quiche dish to remove the flan.
Serve the delicious Instant Pot Flan with fresh berries.
Refrigerate any remaining portions. Enjoy within 2-3 days.
Yields: 4 servings
Tools I Love and Use in My Kitchen
Instant Pot Flan / Caramel Custard / Banh Flan
This Instant Pot Flan / Caramel Custard / Banh Flan recipe is a cinch to make with the help of everyone's favorite electric pressure cooker. If you haven't had Flan / Caramel Custard / Banh Flan before, you're in for a decadent treat. This chilled dessert is a silky and sweet custard made with just a few simple ingredients: eggs, milk and sugar. Whip up the Instant Pot Flan in minutes, easily pressure cook it and then chill in the fridge until it's time to serve. This Instant Pot Flan recipe is simple, delicious and has a huge wow factor. Make some today to enjoy!
Ingredients
Caramel
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp water
Custard
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
Instructions
Making the Caramel
-
In a 4 cup heat-safe bowl combine the sugar and water.
-
Transfer the bowl into the microwave and cook on High power for 3 minutes or until the syrup is golden.
-
Carefully swirl the caramel sauce coating the bottom half of the bowl.
-
Set aside and allow to cool while continuing with the next steps.
Making the Custard
-
In a large measuring cup, add the whole eggs, egg yolks and vanilla extract. Gently whisk together until combined.
-
Add the sugar and milk. Whisk together until thoroughly combined.
-
Strain the custard into the caramel bowl using a fine mesh strainer.
-
Cover the bowl with aluminum foil sealing it well. Optionally secure with a cooking band.
-
Add 1 1/2 cups boiling water into the Instant Pot cooking pot.
-
Place the bowl on top of a steam rack or trivet and transfer into the pot. Cover the pot with the lid and set the steam release handle to "Sealing".
-
Set the pressure cooker to "Steam" mode using Low Pressure and the cook time to 12 minutes. (It takes about 8 minutes to come to pressure.)
-
Once the cook time is completed, allow for a natural pressure release (NPR) of 10 minutes.
-
Transfer the bowl from the Instant Pot. Remove the foil. Let the Flan cool on the counter for 1 hour.
-
Transfer the Flan into the refrigerator and chill for at least 6 hours.
Serving the Instant Pot Flan / Caramel Custard
-
To serve, run a knife around the flan to loosen it from the bowl.
-
Invert the bowl onto a quiche dish to remove the flan.
-
Serve the delicious Instant Pot Flan with fresh berries.
-
Refrigerate any remaining portions. Enjoy within 2-3 days.
Recipe Video
Notes, Tips & Tricks
- For a light citrus taste, add 1 tsp lemon juice to the sugar mixture before cooking. The lemon juice also prevents the sugar from recrystallizing.
- Whole milk makes a rich and thick custard. Optionally, substitute with low-fat milk. Non-fat milk works but the custard may be a soft-set.
- Use Low Pressure to cook the Flan. High Pressure will cause the custard to boil and develop bubbles. This will result in an "eggy" scrambled egg-like texture rather than a silky and smooth custard.
- After pressure cooking, the center may be a bit jiggly. This is normal. Avoid jiggling the bowl as this will cause the custard to crack.
What a delicious recipe. Made my husband’s birthday!!! Thank you so much.
What would the steam time become if I double the quantity for a larger flan?
Hi Priya,
I am glad this was a nice treat for your husband’s birthday. The steam time depends on the thickness of the flan. If the flan is twice as thick, steam for twice the time. Just a tip, because flan is a custard there’s not a lot of structure. A really thick flan may not hold its shape. I hope that helps! 🙂
Hi,
I would love to try your flan recipe but I have ecovana stainless steel steamer. Can I use that instead of the glass bowl? If I can, what about the cooking setting and cooking time? Will it remain the same? Thank you
Hi Tia,
The stainless steel ecovana steamer pans would work great. The cooking time is the same. Enjoy and please stop back to share your results. 🙂
Hi,
I made it! I made one in stainless steel ecovana steamer pan, and it turn out very nice. The texture was silky. But I made one in a glass bowl too. This one doesn’t turn out right. It became soft yogurt kinda texture. Do you have any idea why that happened? Thank you for the easy recipe.
Hi Tia,
I am glad to hear the flan in the ecovana steamer pan worked out. Yeah! Regarding the flan in the glass bowl, a yogurt consistency means it wasn’t fully cooked. Was the glass bowl about the same size as the pan or perhaps smaller resulting in a thicker flan which would require more cooking time?
hi, I tried this recipe last night and the flan has just come out of the fridge but the caramel is cracked at the bottom of the container. Do you have any advise on why this may be and how i can avoid it in future? I left it to cool 40mins rather than a full hour on the worktop before transferring it to the fridge overnight, could that have been the problem? Thank you!
Hi Reenam,
The times when my flan cracked was because I disturbed the flan by moving the bowl before it had a chance to set. If you move the bowl to the fridge sooner, be extra careful not to tilt the bowl or jiggle the flan. Good Luck on your next round. 🙂
Thanks for this recipe. Just a doubt…what should be the temperature setting – low, normal or high?
Hi Jeena, set the pressure cooker to “Steam” mode using Low Pressure. Good Luck!
Thank you so much! Finally a perfect “flan” maybe more of an Asian style versus the Latin American style with condensed milk. The flan itself is not too sweet and perfectly balanced by the caramel. I’m so happy. Will definitely be making this many times.
Hi Amy,
Thank you for the compliment. I am thrilled to hear you enjoyed the flan recipe. I like it not too sweet as well. Happy Cooking!
The Flan looks scrumptious, however I don’t own a pressure cooker, OH NO!
Is there another way to make this easy and delicious recipe?
I would love to make it for my husband as a yummy surprise for his birthday! Seeing that he just suffered a major stroke at such a young age, I know it would put a smile on his wheelchair bound body.
Any other suggestions on how to make your Flan without a Pressure Cooker would be greatly appreciated. With Much Gratitude…
Hi Jude,
How sweet of you to make a special treat for your husband! Yes, you can make flan without a pressure cooker. There are 2 other methods I like: 1) Steam over Medium Heat until the flan is set. Steam time varies depending on the thickness of the flan. 2) Bake using a water bath. Here’s my recipe for bake method. http://runawayrice.com/desserts/vietnamese-custard-flan/
Let me know if you are planning to make one big flan or several small ramekins (and provide dimensions) and I can help with the cooking times if needed. Good Luck!
Hi Trang,
I love your recipe. Thank you! I chose STEAM and Low Pressure as instructed. However, when it was done, the IP displayed OFF. There was no natural release. I manually released the pressure but not much steam came out. Do you know why and what happened?
Thank you.
Trini
Hi Trini,
“Natural release” is just letting the IP de-pressurize on its own for 10 minutes after the steam time is completed, without having to release using the valve. How did the flan turn-out?
This recipe is just out of this world.good work
Hi Dannie,
I am so glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Hi Trang,
Love this 5-star recipe! The flan turned perfect: smooth, creamy and just the right amount of sugar. Thank you for this Instant Pot recipe and I hope you share more like this!
Hi Anna,
I am glad you like this recipe and I will share more IP recipes in the future. Thanks for your comment!
If I cook (4) in a 1 cup container each would the cooking time is the same?
Your flan looks amazing.
Hi Kim,
If making 4-1 cup ramekins, steam for just 8 minutes. Enjoy and please stop back to share your results.