Flan de Queso (Cheese Flan)

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat oven to 350°. Set a 9" round baking pan inside a roasting pan or high-sided skillet. Bring 1 cup (200 g) sugar and ⅓ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling pan occasionally (do not stir). Cook until caramel is dark amber, 5–6 minutes. Carefully pour into baking pan and let cool until set, about 10 minutes.

Heat 2½ cups whole milk and ¼ tsp. cinnamon in a small saucepan over medium until steaming. (Watch carefully so that it does not boil over.)

Process one 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk, 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature, 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute. Add 5 large eggs and process until incorporated, about 45 seconds. Add warm milk and pulse to combine (if your food processor is small, combine cream cheese mixture and warm milk in medium bowl to avoid spills).

Pour custard through a fine mesh sieve into baking pan on top of caramel. Pour hot water into roasting pan or skillet to come ¾" up outside of baking pan. Bake until flan is just set in the center but still a little wobbly when you jiggle it, 40–50 minutes. Remove baking pan from larger pan (leave water bath in oven until cool enough to discard) and transfer to a wire rack. Let flan cool in baking pan for 30 minutes.

Just before serving, run a small knife around edges of the pan. Set a platter on top of baking pan and carefully invert onto platter. Do ahead: Flan can be made up to 2 days ahead. Cover pan with plate or plastic wrap and chill. Serve cold or at room temperature. Editor’s note: This recipe for flan de queso was first printed in the September 2007 issue of ‘Gourmet.’ An earlier version included instructions for cooking flans in individual 8-oz. ramekins. If preferred, follow the directions above, dividing caramel among eight 8-oz. ramekins. Strain custard into a jug and divide among the ramekins. Bake ramekins in a water bath as described, 40–50 minutes. Remove ramekins from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before inverting onto serving plates. Head this way for more of our best Easter desserts →