Cuban Mountain Mint-Guava Flan

About This Recipe

Flan is Cuba's signature dessert, a dense, silky custard set over a layer of deep amber caramel that flips out onto the plate glossy and trembling. This version steeps fresh mint into the milk base before it's strained, giving the custard a cool, herbal note that plays well against the sweetness, then finishes with a spoonful of warmed guava paste on top - a nod to mountain-region kitchens where mint and guava both grow abundantly. The technique that determines success is the caramel and the water bath. Sugar must be cooked to a deep amber without stirring (swirling the pan is fine) or it will seize into crystals; and the custard must bake in a bain-marie at a gentle temperature so it sets smooth rather than curdling into a scrambled-egg texture. This is a home dessert built for a special Sunday lunch, meant to be made a day ahead so the caramel has time to turn into a glossy sauce that pools around the flan once it's unmolded.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 cupgranulated sugar(for caramel)
• 2 cupswhole milk
• 1 cupfresh mint leaves(lightly packed)
• 1 can (14 oz)sweetened condensed milk
• 1 can (12 oz)evaporated milk
• 5eggs
• 1 tspvanilla extract
• 0.25 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 cupguava paste(cubed)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the caramel

   Melt sugar in a dry saucepan over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until it turns deep amber, about 8-10 minutes. Immediately pour into a 9-inch round baking dish, tilting to coat the bottom.

   Never stir caramelizing sugar with a spoon - swirl the pan instead, or it can crystallize.

2. 2

   Infuse the milk with mint

   Heat whole milk with mint leaves in a small saucepan until just steaming, then remove from heat, cover and let steep 15 minutes. Strain out the mint.

3. 3

   Preheat and blend the custard

   Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Blend the mint-infused milk, condensed milk, evaporated milk, eggs, vanilla and salt until smooth.

4. 4

   Pour and set up the water bath

   Pour the custard over the set caramel. Place the dish in a larger roasting pan and add hot water halfway up the sides.

5. 5

   Bake

   Bake 50-55 minutes until the center is just set and jiggles slightly like gelatin, not liquid.

6. 6

   Cool and chill

   Remove from the water bath, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

7. 7

   Unmold and finish

   Run a knife around the edge, invert onto a rimmed plate so the caramel sauce pools around it, and top with warmed cubed guava paste.

Variations

• •

  Skip the mint infusion for a classic plain vanilla flan if you prefer the traditional version.

• •

  Use cream cheese blended into the custard for a denser 'flan de queso' texture.

• •

  Swap guava paste for sliced fresh mango or a drizzle of guava syrup if paste isn't available.

Storage

Refrigerate covered up to 4 days; flan actually improves after a day as the caramel deepens. Serve cold or at cool room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions