Chef John's Cheesecake Flan

For Chef John's cheesecake flan recipe, a creamy, cheesy custard bakes inside caramel-lined ramekins to create a hybrid between cheesecake and flan.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 55 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Calories: 542 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 0.5 cup white sugar
• 0.75 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 0.5 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 0.5 cup cream cheese, at room temperature

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Coat insides of four 5 1/2-ounce ramekins with oil.

Step 2

Melt 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar in a skillet over medium heat without stirring; swirl the skillet occasionally until sugar caramelizes to an amber color. Quickly pour caramel into each prepared ramekin to cover the bottoms. Place ramekins in a large baking dish.

Step 3

Whisk cream cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, vanilla extract, and salt together in a bowl until smooth.

Step 4

Heat milk in a small saucepan until almost simmering; stir in 1/2 cup sugar until dissolved. Stir into cream cheese mixture until custard combined.

Step 5

Spoon custard mixture into the prepared ramekins. Carefully add enough hot water to the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Step 6

Bake in the preheated oven until custard is just barely set, 45 to 60 minutes. Custard should jiggle as one mass, when shaken. Remove ramekins from the baking dish; cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

Step 7

Combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter in a bowl; sprinkle over each flan. Refrigerate until fully chilled, at least 2 hours.

Step 8

Run a knife along edges of chilled flans; invert onto plates. Drizzle any remaining caramel on top.