This flan de queso recipe (cream cheese flan) is what happens when a pineapple flan falls in love with a cheesecake. Enjoy this lovely, luscious dessert with the creaminess of a cheesecake, bathed in golden caramel, and a touch of pineapple flavor you'll surely love.
Why we ❤️ it
I love cheesecakes. I absolutely love cheesecakes. The only thing in the world better than a slice of cheesecake is a slice of traditional flan. So imagine them together.
It has flavor and texture halfway through both desserts, and the touch of pineapple taste – which I was obsessed would be perfect in this combination. I can tell you this is a dessert to remember.
More flan recipes
How many flan recipes does a Dominican food blog need? I don't know; I am still working on a number. You can enjoy these other flans:
Variations
If for some reason you dislike pineapple, you can substitute the same amount of evaporated milk for pineapple juice, and add a tablespoon of vanilla extract.
Flan de queso y piña (Pineapple cream cheese flan).
Top tips
- Traditional flan is flavored with vanilla or vanilla extract, but I found that a more acidic flavor works better for this one. I tried pineapple extract, but I and each of my testers disliked the aftertaste. In the end, I took the risk and used real pineapple juice. I feared the milk would curdle, but it didn't.
- As with every flan, patience is key. You may be tempted to serve before it has thoroughly chilled, but I can tell you from a million times I've tried it: it will not work.
- The order in which I have mixed the ingredients has a reason for it. Since the sugar content will vary depending on the pineapple juice you find, you may need to add a bit of extra condensed milk to adjust the sweetness to your preferred level, which you can't do if it contains raw eggs.
- I have commented before that for most flans; I prefer a darker caramel with just a hint of bitterness. For this one, that would not work. Make sure you remove the caramel from the stove as soon as it starts to change to a pale golden color, and immediately pour it into the mold.
- To prevent the caramel from darkening in the oven, place a silicone mat or tea towel under the mold when cooking so the higher heat from the outer mold does not transfer to the inner one.
About this recipe
For this flan, I used a combination of whole eggs and egg yolks, and after several tests, this yielded my preferred consistency.
I love making flans in fancy bundt pans, but this one did not do as well. I found that a simple round pan was better.
I used a 6-inch mold since it's pretty small (serves 6 slices). Anything bigger and the flan will be very flat.
You can double the amounts and bake a larger flan in a 9-inch pan [23 centimeters]. The cooking time remains the same.
Recipe
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Pineapple Cream Cheese Flan [Recipe + Video] Flan de Queso
Ingredients
For caramel coating
- ½ cup sugar (white, granulated)
- 1 tablespoon water, may not be used, see notes
For the flan
- ¾ cup pineapple juice
- 1 cup condensed milk, (may need a bit extra)
- 1 cup cream cheese
- 1 egg (large)
- 3 egg yolks
Instructions
Making caramel for flan
Mix sugar and water and cook in a heavy saucepan over low heat until thick dark caramel forms. Make sure it does not burn! You may need to stir it gently with a spatula to prevent it from burning on the hot spots.Pour carefully into a 5-cup baking pan and spread all over. Cool to room temperature; by then, the caramel should have hardened.
Making the flan mixture
In the blender vase, combine condensed milk, pineapple juice, and cream cheese. Blend the mixture over high speed until it is very smooth and well combined. Taste and mix in extra condensed milk if you want it sweeter.Add the egg and egg yolks and blend over low speed until well mixed.
Baking
- Pour carefully into the baking pan, trying not to disturb the caramel layer.Bake in a hot water bath (bain Marie) in preheated oven to 300 ºF [150ºC] for one hour or until a toothpick or thin knife inserted in the center comes out clean and, when lightly shaken, it is jiggly in the middle.
Serving
- Remove from the oven and the water bath and cool to room temperature. Chill in the fridge for 8 hours, best if overnight.To unmold, loosen the edges of the flan with a toothpick, and place a serving plate on top of the mold (a deep-enough plate to retain the syrup) and invert. Serve still chilled.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
More recipes with pineapple
Don't miss our wonderful dulce de leche with pineapple, the refreshing pera-piña juice, our flavorful pineapple jam to fill the Dominican cake, and guarapo de piña, one of my favorite Dominican drinks.
FAQs
Flan de queso, or cream cheese flan, is made with condensed milk, eggs, cream cheese, and sugar. Some flavoring is added, typically vanilla.
Quiche is an egg-based savory dished cooked on the stovetop, whereas flan is a dessert cooked in a hot water bath in a mold covered with hardened caramel.
Typically a flan is cooked in a hot water bath for about an hour, although this may vary depending on the recipe, and size of the flan. Check the recipe for cooking time.
Resting time is essential for a good flan, once the flan has come of the oven and cooled to room temperature, refrigerate covered for at least 8 hours, but preferably overnight.
