This coconut flan with a coffee caramel is TO DIE FOR. I ate a quarter of it by myself immediately after taking pictures of it. Make this coconut flan with just a can of coconut milk, condensed milk, 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of gelatin, alongside a super simple coffee caramel. The caramel has espresso infused it in, which adds some bitterness to the caramel. This coconut flan recipe is easy, foolproof, and not too sweet. YUM!!

the inspiration behind this coconut flan with coffee caramel
As is with all the baking I do, I like things not too sweet, please. I saw a coconut milk flan recipe on bon appetit -- one with a few more ingredients listed and it had a burnt caramel -- and got inspired. i wanted to riff on a coconut milk flan since it infuses a fun tropical note to the traditional Latin dessert.
This coconut milk flan recipe is barebones in terms of ingredients for flan - the coconut milk and sweetened condensed milk are the perfect base for a coconut milk custard. 1 egg lends richness, and the gelatin ensures it sets up properly and guarantees an easy flip.
and the COFFEE CARAMEL SAUCE. Jesus F Christ. the coffee caramel just sends this whole thing over the edge. Look at that caramel sauce puddle.
how to make coconut flan with coffee caramel, step by step
as a step 0, preheat the oven to 325F.
step 1: make the coffee caramel
the first thing is to make a caramel. mix 2 teaspoons of instant coffee granules with ¼ cup of water, and let it dissolve. then in a small sauce pan, combine 1 cup of sugar with the espresso liquid and let it come to a boil, then bring down to a simmer for about 8-10 minutes.
then pour the caramel into the bottom of a 9" glass pie dish, and let it sit for 10 minutes to solidify.
step 2: blend the liquids
in a blender, combine 1 can of coconut milk, 1 can of sweetened condensed milk, 1 egg and 1 packet of gelatin in a blender.
strain through a fine-mesh sieve, or a regular sieve lined with cheesecloth, into the glass pie dish.
step 3: bake in the oven in a bain-marie
place the pie dish with the custard into a pan and place into the hot oven; pour water halfway up the sides of the pie pan.
bake for 50 minutes, until lightly brown on top and still a tiny bit jiggly in the middle.
step 4: chill and serve
chill in the oven for at least 3 hours, and then flip onto a plate, and serve!
📖 Recipe

Coconut Milk Flan with Coffee Caramel
Ingredients
- Coffee Caramel
- 2 teaspoons of instant coffee granules
- ¼ cup of water
- 1 cup of sugar
- Coconut Flan
- 1 14 oz can of full-fat coconut milk
- 1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
- 1 egg
- 1 packet / 1 tablespoon of gelatin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F
- Make the coffee caramel. Mix coffee granules with water and let it dissolve. Mix coffee-water with sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, then down to a simmer, for about 8 minutes, until it smells toasty and caramelized. Pour into the bottom of a 9" glass pie dish, and let it set for 10 minutes.
- Make the coconut flan custard. In a blender, blend coconut milk, condensed milk, egg and gelatin on high, unti very smooth. Pour through fine mesh sieve into the pie dish.
- Bake. Put the flan into the oven on top of a baking pan, and pour water into the pan about halfway up the sides of the pie dish. Bake for 50-55 minutes.
- Chill and serve. Very carefully, remove the flan from the oven. Discard the water. Place the flan in the fridge for at least 3 hours to chill. Flip onto a plate when ready to eat, and serve. YUM!