🍮 Creamy Leche Flan Cheesecake

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🍮 Creamy Leche Flan Cheesecake

Prep time: 20 mins | Bake time: 2 hours | Chilling time: 4 hours

Yields: One 20cm (8-inch) Cake

Ingredients

The Caramel Base

  • 100 g (½ cup) White sugar

The Leche Flan Layer

  • 10 Egg yolks

  • 375 ml (1 ½ cups) Milk

  • 250 g (1 cup) Condensed milk

  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract (added for flavor)

The Cheesecake Layer

  • 300 g (1 ¼ cups) Cream cheese, softened to room temperature

  • 100 g (½ cup) White sugar

  • 4 Egg whites

  • ½ tsp Salt

Instructions

1. Prepare the Caramel

Place the 100 g sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Do not stir; swirl the pan occasionally until the sugar melts and turns a dark amber color. Immediately pour the hot caramel into a 20 cm (8-inch) round mold, tilting the mold to coat the bottom evenly. Set aside to harden.

2. Make the Flan Mixture

In a medium bowl, whisk the 10 egg yolks gently (avoid creating too many air bubbles). Stir in the milk, vanilla extract, and condensed milk. Mix slowly until fully incorporated. Set aside.

3. Make the Cheesecake Mixture

In a separate large bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth. Gradually add the 100 g sugar, salt, and 4 egg whites. Continue mixing until the batter is creamy and free of lumps.

4. Combine and Sift

Gently fold the flan mixture into the cheesecake mixture until combined. Crucial Step: Sift the entire mixture through a fine-mesh strainer directly into the prepared mold over the hardened caramel. This ensures a perfectly silky texture.

5. The Water Bath (Bain Marie)

Place the mold inside a larger roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with hot water until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake mold.

6. Bake and Chill

  • Bake: Place in the oven at 155°C (311°F) and bake for 2 hours. The center should have a slight jiggle but be set.

  • Cool: Remove from the water bath and let it cool completely at room temperature.

  • Chill: Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight) to allow the layers to fully set and the caramel to liquefy.

7. Serve

Run a thin knife around the edge of the mold. Invert the cake onto a large rimmed serving plate (to catch the caramel sauce). Slice and enjoy!

💡 Pro-Tips for a Perfect Flan Cake

  • Smoothness is Key: Sifting the mixture isn’t just a suggestion—it removes any bits of egg or undissolved cream cheese, which is the secret to that restaurant-quality “melt-in-your-mouth” feel.

  • Temperature Matters: Make sure your cream cheese is truly at room temperature before mixing; otherwise, you will have tiny white lumps in your cheesecake layer.

  • The “Jiggle” Test: Don’t be alarmed if it looks a little soft when you take it out of the oven. It will firm up significantly during the 4-hour chill time.

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