Leche flan is one of my favourite Filipino desserts. What’s not to love? It is silky, creamy, has a rich custard flavour and perfectly sweet. For many Filipino celebrations, it is not uncommon for leche flan to be a part of the dessert menu and it is usually prepared in a small llanera tin (oval-shaped tin mould). But today, we're going big, like literally!

What I love most is how we do not need that many ingredients: sugar, evaporated milk, egg yolks, condensed milk and vanilla. I also love how this dessert is make-ahead friendly and actually tastes better the next day as the flavours settle and deepen in the fridge.

When I first made this recipe, I was nervous about the number of egg yolks (seventeen!), but it’s the secret to the ultra-smooth, velvety custard texture that is a distinct feature of Filipino leche flan. It slices beautifully, holds its shape, and has a deep caramel glaze that pools perfectly onto the plate. So, if you’re craving a creamy dessert that’s guaranteed to impress without being overly complicated to make, give this giant flan a try. It’s comforting, rich, and absolutely delicious and I promise, once you make it, you’ll want to make it again.

Tip #1

Do not stir the caramel. Stirring can cause crystallisation. Instead, swirl the pan gently and evenly as it heats to achieve that golden colour.

Tip #2

Strain multiple times. Straining the custard 2–3 times removes egg threads and bubbles, ensuring the smoothest possible flan texture.

Tip #3

Bain-marie (water bath) is a must! It provides gentle, even heat. Without it, the flan may curdle, crack, or overcook around the edges.

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Giant Leche Flan Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Bake Time: 80–90 minutes

Yield: 1 large 5-inch flan (6–8 servings)

Ingredients

Caramel:

1 cup (200 g) granulated white sugar

4 tablespoons (60 ml) water

Custard:

17 large egg yolks (approx. 300 g)
3 cups (720 ml) evaporated milk
1 ½ cups (360 ml) sweetened condensed milk
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and water. Leave it to caramelise and do not stir. Swirl the pan gently until sugar dissolves and turns golden brown in colour.
Immediately pour into the base of your 5-inch round cake pan. Swirl quickly to evenly coat the bottom of the pan. Let it cool and harden.
In a large bowl, gently whisk egg yolks (do not beat or whip to avoid bubbles).
Add evaporated milk, condensed milk, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.
Strain through a fine sieve 2–3 times to remove stringy bits and bubbles.
Pour slowly into the cake pan over the cooled caramel.
Place the cake pan inside a deep baking tray and fill the tray with hot water halfway up the sides of the pan (water bath or bain-marie).
Bake covered loosely with foil for 80–90 minutes at 150°C (300°F) for conventional oven or 140°C (285°F) for fan-forced oven.
Insert a skewer or toothpick. It should come out clean with a slight wobble in the center.
Let cool at room temperature for 30–60 mins. Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Run a thin knife around the edges, invert onto a shallow rimmed plate to catch the flowing caramel., and unmould carefully.