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    Home » Desserts » Gluten-Free Desserts » Meyer Lemon Flan Recipe

    Meyer Lemon Flan Recipe

    Feb 3, 2019 · by Valentina · 41 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    This Meyer Lemon Flan recipe is as smooth as velvet. With the fresh flavor of lemon in every rich and creamy bite, this is the perfect dessert to finish a meal.Whole Meyer Lemon Flan on a white platter with lemon slices.

    Inspiration

    When I create new recipes, it’s often with my mom in mind. It’s not a conscious decision, it just happens that way. Many of my ideas stem from her cooking, but many are also from things I remember her saying about food. Let’s not forget how she always ordered “double the onions.”

    Outside of chocolate, which was her strong number one, my mom loved flan and lemon desserts. Enter: Meyer Lemon Flan Recipe.

    Meyer lemons hanging on a tree in the rain

    Meyer lemons are in season right now! (If you can't get them where you live, regular lemons will work too.)

    Before I share my recipe I have to tell you exactly how my mom would order flan in a restaurant. Exactly.

    My mom: “I would like the flan, but I have a question first.”
    Waiter/waitress: With hesitation, “okay . . .”
    My mom: “Is it smooth?”
    Waiter/waitress: “Well . . . I think it’s smooth.”
    My mom: “I mean like velvet smooth?
    Waiter/waitress: Looking nervous and maybe a little annoyed: “I believe it’s quite smooth.”
    My mom: “If it’s at all like sand on the beach, I don’t want it. I understand if it is, but I only want it if it’s as smooth as velvet.”

    I think nine times out of ten, she was pleased.

    Heart shaped tablespoon with lemon zest.

    What is flan?

    • Flan, also called Crème Caramel, is a custard dessert with a layer of caramel sauce on top.
    • Flan is found in recipes as far back as ancient Rome. The Romans had an abundance of eggs, and consulting the Greeks' knowledge of of cooking, they developed new recipes, one of which was a custard-like, savory concoction known as flan.
    • This made its way to Spain where it became a sweet custard generally made with caramelized sugar.
    • It’s thought that Columbus bought the richness of flan to America, and now almost all of Central and South America love flan, and it has become especially popular in Mexico where it’s made in almost every kitchen.

    One slice of Meyer Lemon Flan on a white plate.

    How are Flan and Crème Brûlée different?

    • Crème brûlée is also custard, but instead of the thin caramel layer, sugar is hardened on the top surface to form a crust.

    The below photos will help you when you're making this recipe.

    Three images of the process of cooking sugar.top: sugar, sugar after it has cooked for about 7 minutes | bottom: cooked sugar poured into cake pan

    I love the way this Meyer Lemon Flan turned out, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! The texture is indeed as smooth as velvet, and I know my mom would have loved it.

    A couple more of my favorite lemon desserts:

    • Meyer Lemon Cake with Olive Oil {Gluten-Free Recipe}
    • Vanilla Meyer Lemon Hot Milk Cake
    slice of meyer lemon flan on white plate

    Meyer Lemon Flan Recipe

    Valentina K. Wein
    This Meyer Lemon Flan is as smooth as velvet. With the fresh flavor of lemon in every rich and creamy bite, this is the perfect dessert to finish a meal.
    5 from 12 votes
    Print
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 1 hr
    Cooling Time 4 hrs 30 mins
    Total Time 5 hrs 45 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Mexican, Spanish
    Servings 8 to 10
    Calories 164 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • ¾ cup granulated sugar
    • 1¼ cup low-fat or whole milk
    • 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
    • 6 large eggs
    • 2 tablespoons Meyer lemon zest
    • ¼ cup Meyer lemon juice
    • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
    • thin lemons slices for garnish, if desired

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
    • Add the sugar to a medium-sized sauce pot, and place it over medium-high heat. Watch it carefully and do not stir. Once the sugar begins to melt and becomes an amber color, swirl the pot every so often,  gently until the sugar has completely dissolved. This will take about 5 to 10 minutes, and it will be a medium amber color at this point. Immediately pour in a 9 x 2-inch cake pan (or pie dish, or special flan pan) and quickly swirl it around to coat the bottom. The goal is to cover the entire bottom, but don’t worry if it doesn’t quite make its way to the edges, as it will melt again in the oven.
    • Add the milk, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla to a blender. Blend until it’s smooth, about 5 seconds. (You can also use an electric mixer and a mixing bowl to do this.)
    • Place the prepared pan in a large roasting or baking pan. Pour the egg mixture into the cake pan, over the caramel coating. Add enough hot water to the roasting/baking pan, to come halfway up sides of the cake pan. (This is called a water bath, and adds moisture to the oven, which keeps the flan from becoming rubbery or cracking.)
    • Loosely cover the cake pan with foil, and bake flan in the preheated 350°F oven in the water bath until it no longer jiggles, 50 to 60 minutes. Carefully remove the cake pan from the water bath and place it on a cooling rack. Let it cool there for about 90 minutes. Then place it in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, and ideally overnight.
    • Run a knife along the edges of the pan to loosen it. Place a flat platter, that’s larger than the cake pan upside down on top. Then holding the two together, invert the flan onto the platter.
    • Add lemon slices if desired and serve!

    Notes

    Please note that if you use a special flan pan, the cooking time might be longer as the diameter is smaller, and the flan will be taller.
    Keywords great for a dinner party, custard desserts
    Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

    Cooking On The Weekends is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. 


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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. angiesrecipes

      February 04, 2019 at 12:22 am

      So silky and tender! And who could resist the caramel aroma? I certainly can't!

      Reply
    2. David @ Spiced

      February 04, 2019 at 4:47 am

      I would hate to be the one waiter/waitress out of ten when your Mom wasn't satisfied! Haha! So I love flan, but I've always been too afraid to make it at home. I've heard that it can be really tricky. This recipe looks manageable enough though...I think I can do it! Thanks so much for sharing this one...it looks delicious! 🙂

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 04, 2019 at 7:57 pm

        It's actually easy to make David -- especially for you, I'm sure. My whole family loves flan. Enjoy and thanks for visiting, as always. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Dawn - Girl Heart Food

      February 04, 2019 at 5:23 am

      Love lemon too and this one definitely does look super smooth, Valentina! What a lovely treat, especially for Valentine's Day coming up. I would imagine this would be so good with an espresso! Can't wait to try 🙂

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 04, 2019 at 7:58 pm

        Oh now that's an idea . . espresso! Not only with it, but maybe an espresso flan. Thank you for that! And for visiting of course.

        Reply
    4. 2pots2cook

      February 04, 2019 at 9:41 am

      Beautiful dessert, beautiful photos !

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 04, 2019 at 7:58 pm

        Thanks so much! Enjoy! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Lisa Huff

      February 04, 2019 at 10:21 am

      Wow looks AMAZING! Loving the lemon slices on top!

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 04, 2019 at 7:58 pm

        Thanks so much, Lisa!

        Reply
    6. Mary Bostow

      February 04, 2019 at 10:31 am

      Wow that is so pretty, vibrant and lovely looking! Love the gorgeous color! Pinnng!

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 04, 2019 at 8:02 pm

        Thank so much Mary. Appreciate the pin. 🙂

        Reply
    7. Lisa Bynum

      February 04, 2019 at 10:39 am

      I've ordered flan in a Mexican restaurant before, but never like this. I love the lemon! This would brighten up these dreary winter days we've been having.

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 04, 2019 at 8:03 pm

        Yes, that's one thing I love about citrus being it season in the winter -- it brightens things up. Thank so much!

        Reply
    8. Ginny

      February 04, 2019 at 11:02 am

      That is the most gorgeous flan I've ever seen. Lemon sweetened desserts are my favorite too. Thank you!

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 04, 2019 at 8:03 pm

        Thank you! I appreciate it, and I hope you try it and love it. 🙂

        Reply
    9. Edyta

      February 04, 2019 at 11:19 am

      Oh gosh, I love both Mayer lemons and flan! I'll be making this often 🙂

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 04, 2019 at 8:04 pm

        Hope you love it as much as me! 🙂 Thank you!

        Reply
    10. Nancy Buchanan

      February 04, 2019 at 11:41 am

      I am in love... two of my favorite things in one dessert! I am a lemon fanatic and flan... well let's just say it would be on my list for my last meal! Honestly, this one hits it right out of the park Valentina!! I love the story about your Mom - and I know she'd feel the same way as I do about this dessert!!

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 04, 2019 at 8:06 pm

        Awww, thank you so much Nancy. Flan is also one of my favorites too. I've even been have a slice in the mornings -- it's full of eggs, after all. 😉

        Reply
    11. susan | the wimpy vegetarian

      February 04, 2019 at 12:06 pm

      This looks fantastic. I'm a huge fan of flan, and love that you added lemon to it. I would love to make it for a dinner this weekend! It would be perfect. I also love love love the Meyer Lemon Spaghetti with Thyme. I'm putting together a Citrus roundup for Parade, and would love to add both of these recipes for consideration to include. Please let me know if you would be ok with that!

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 04, 2019 at 1:46 pm

        Thanks so much, Susan! Yes of course, I'd love to have them included in the roundup. Much appreciated, and I hope you love the
        flan! 🙂

        Reply
    12. Jeff the Chef

      February 04, 2019 at 8:46 pm

      I love flan. I love chocolate, too. I think I would've gotten along well with your mom! No long ago, I encased a flan in chocolate cake, which makes me think your mom would've like me, too. Anyway, whenever I see flan on a menu, I always order it. It's just so comforting! Thanks for the recipe and for the inspiration.

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 05, 2019 at 12:51 pm

        My jaw dropped when I read that you "encased a flan in a chocolate cake!" That sounds amazing -- is that on your site? Please let me know if so. And yes, my mom would have thought that was a dreamy idea. Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing. 🙂

        Reply
    13. Christina Conte

      February 04, 2019 at 9:09 pm

      I don't blame that your mom ordered anything this way! I'm kind of like that with fries (don't serve me over-salted or cold fries).

      I'm quite certain that your mom would have LOVED this flan, Valentina! <3 It looks absolutely gorgeous!

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 05, 2019 at 12:52 pm

        I'm so with you on the fries. There's almost no point if they're cold! Thanks for the kinds words for my mom. XO

        Reply
    14. Gerlinde @Sunnycovechef

      February 04, 2019 at 10:00 pm

      Flan is one of my favorite desserts and I love my flan to be as smooth as velvet . Thanks for this great recipe.

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 05, 2019 at 12:53 pm

        Thank you Gerlinde! Hope you try it and thank you for the comment. 🙂

        Reply
    15. Coco in the Kitchen

      February 05, 2019 at 12:29 pm

      Meyer lemons are my latest love. I finally got us a tree and it's fruiting!
      This flan is perfection. Love your mom. What a character!

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 05, 2019 at 12:34 pm

        Thank you so much for your kind words. 🙂 So happy your tree is full of lemons! Yay! Enjoy! xo

        Reply
    16. Deb|EastofEdenCooking

      February 06, 2019 at 7:45 am

      Lemon desserts area personal favorite!.So much #citruslove in every slice of this gorgeous flan! (Mom stories are always welcome!)

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 06, 2019 at 7:53 pm

        #citruslove -- I love that, Deb. And I always love mom stories too. 🙂

        Reply
    17. John / Kitchen Riffs

      February 06, 2019 at 8:32 am

      Your mom sounds like she was a neat lady. Double the onions is my motto, too! And I love flan, so I'd love this recipe. Bet it's smooth as silk! Really excellent post -- thanks.

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 06, 2019 at 7:51 pm

        Thanks so much, John. I so appreciate it. 🙂

        Reply
    18. James

      February 09, 2019 at 6:58 am

      This looks so good and I'm sure it beats any flan I've had. Definitely going to give a try next weekend!

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 09, 2019 at 4:13 pm

        Thanks James. I hope you like it -- I made a chocolate one yesterday for guests and it was a hit too. 🙂 I've been really into experimenting with flan and it's so much fun. 🙂

        Reply
    19. David

      February 09, 2019 at 7:01 am

      So many things to comment about in this recipe… First, I love the use of lemons… Meyer lemons are so plentiful at this time of year and I love finding new recipes to use them! Second, this may sound silly, but I might just like to make the custard without the caramel! I’m a huge lemon fan, and I think I would love lemon custard. (Especially minutes velvety smooth.) Third, I can’t even imagine flan having a texture like sand on the beach. Ick. I’m with your mother! Finally, I love that we have the same “heart and arrow” measuring spoons! Happy Valentines Day!

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 09, 2019 at 4:18 pm

        Hi David. I LOVE everything about your comments. Thank you! I always notice your unique measuring spoons -- I think we've discussed that we both like shopping at Anthropologis. 🙂 I don't think the custard without the caramel is silly at all. On the contrary, I would love it. Enjoy and Happy Valentine's Day to you and Mark! XOXO

        Reply
    20. Mark

      February 14, 2020 at 2:50 pm

      Am making it now god Valentine’s Day for the wife. She loves flan and lemon desserts so hoping it’s a hit. If I have time I’ll candy some lemon slices to garnish it.

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 14, 2020 at 8:04 pm

        Hi Mark, I hope your wife loves it! And you, too. Happy Valentine's Day! ❤️ Thanks for checking out my site and trying the recipe. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    21. Janet

      March 27, 2023 at 9:46 am

      Anything lemon is my favorite. Myer lemons makes it better but they are very hard to find here.

      Reply
      • Valentina

        March 28, 2023 at 8:05 pm

        Hi Janet. I love lemon too! There are some ordering online options like this one. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply

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