Pumpkin Spice Flan

Aaahhh, smell that? Yes! It’s that time of the year again, when the tantalizing pumpkin spice aroma wafts to our nostrils from everywhere. It is delightful! And, frankly, this plays a major role in making Fall my (and probably yours) favorite season. And I think that’s why you’ll love this Pumpkin Spice Flan.

Two worlds collide in the most loving way in this Pumpkin Spice Flan. As I have explained before in an earlier post, Flan is one of Mexico’s favorite desserts. The basic recipe calls for pantry staple ingredients such as eggs and milks. With today’s entry we have upped the ante to enchant the pumpkin spice-loving population too. This will certainly bring them into the fold!

Flan is a rich, custardy, creamy and delicious dessert and it is so very easy to make. It is also versatile when it comes to steaming methods, as you can make it on your stove top, your pressure cooker or in the oven.

And when it comes to flavors, the sky is the limit. We have offered you different choices along the years too, and we have played with the Flan and Cake combo known in Mexico as “Chocoflan” when we brought to you this Peanut Butter Chocoflan and this Pumpkin Spice Magic Cake Flan or this Carrot Cake-Flan recipe. Note that all these instances include a cake batter, so you end up with both a cake and a flan in the same pan.

You will have to go and read them to find out how the magic happens in the oven/pressure cooker and how the cake batter and flan mix somehow manage to switch places. All the Cake-flan recipes involve a little bit more effort but are so worth it! So make sure to check them out too.

However, today’s much simpler recipe is devoted to a very easy to make Pumpkin Spice Flan. The active time won’t take longer than 15 minutes. Now, the cooking or, more accurately, steaming times vary, with the quickest one being the instant pot. I will explain each option in the recipe notes. Once your flan is done, simply cool it down at room temperature and then refrigerate. Unmold, garnish and you’re good to go!

Pumpkin Spice Flan

Yazzy

Print Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Fusion

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

  

• For the flan:
• 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1-14oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• 1-12oz. can evaporated milk
• 6 units eggs
• 1 cup 100 % pure pumpkin do not use pumpkin pie filling
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• For garnish:
• 1/2 cup roasted pepitas or any other roasted nut of your preference
• 1/2 cup whipped cream sweetened to taste

Instructions

 

• You can steam your Pumpkin Spice Flan in the oven, in an instant pot, or even in a large pot with water on the stovetop. If you will steam it in the oven, fill a large, deep baking pan with hot water about 2" deep. Carefully place it in the oven and preheat it to 350F. For the other two steaming methods, please read notes below this recipe.
• Make the caramel: In a heavy saucepan, over low-medium heat, melt the 3/4 cups of granulated sugar. Once melted, carefully pour it into a round baking/Bundt cake pan and swil caramel to cover bottom and walls of pan, while the caramel is still liquid. Set aside and allow the caramel to cool down for 10 minutes.
• Make the flan: In the blender combine milks, eggs, pumpkin and pumpkin spice. Blend perfectly until smooth.
• Pour flan mixture into the pan, over the caramel. Cover with foil. Water should not get into the flan. Carefully place into the large pan in the oven and steam for 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes, depending on your oven.
• Once done, carefully pull flan out of the oven. Allow it to cool down for 2 hours, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. To umnold, run a thin sharp knife along the inside edges of the pan and flip pan oven serving dish. Spoon caramel in the pan over the flan.
• Garnish as desired. Enjoy!

Notes

If you own and instant pot, follow the instructions above to prepare the flan. Just pour your caramel in a smaller round dish or pan (6″- 7″ in diameter). Let it cool down and become solid before you pour the flan mix on top.  Place a trivet in a 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot. Then add 1 1/2 cups of water. Cook at high pressure for 15 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes; carefully move the steam release vent to the venting position to release the remaining pressure.

Carefully pull flan out of Instant Pot. Allow it to cool down for 2 hours, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. To unmold, run a thin sharp knife along the inside edges of the pan and flip pan oven serving dish. Spoon caramel from the pan over the flan.

You can also cook your Pumpkin Spice Flan on the stovetop if you don’t want to use the oven or you don’t have a pressure cooker.  Simply make the caramel and the flan exactly as instructed in the above recipe, cover it with foil. Then, instead of using the oven or a pressure cooker, pour hot water in a large pot, making sure it cannot get into the flan pan. The water should come about 2″ high to the side of the flan pan. Cook over medium heat for 1 hour 15 minutes, always keeping the water at a low simmering.

Carefully pull flan out of the pot, once it’s done. Allow it to cool down for 2 hours, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. To unmold, run a thin sharp knife along the inside edges of the pan and flip pan oven serving dish. Spoon caramel from the pan over the flan.