Flan Near You

What Is Flan?

If you're in the mood for an exquisite dessert, we got just the right pick for you - flan!

This popular sweet dish is made of custard and caramel sauce. Thus, it is also known as crème caramel, caramel pudding or custard, and even condensed milk pudding.

What's more, flan has an interesting preparation method. Thing is, the caramel goes first and then the custard is put on top of it. Next, the mix is cooked in a water bath i.e. bain marie. But, when it's ready for serving, the whole thing gets flipped and so the caramel actually ends up being on top.

Since turning the dish is a delicate process, cooks usually make it in separate ramekins.

As for the specific ingredients, eggs, milk, and sugar are used.

Also, the word flan has rather deep roots. It comes from the Old French word "flaon" and even older derivations that ultimately mean "flat cake."

In addition, "crème renversée" and "crema volteada" are notable terms (French and Spanish respectively) that refer to the cooking process of the dish.

What Country Invented Flan?

While flan is a fancy-looking dish, it has actually been around for a long time. In fact, it was invented in the days of the Roman Empire.

Of course, the Romans had a different flan recipe than the modern one. It still included eggs and milk, but also other ingredients such as spinach and pepper. And yes, they did have a sweet alternative which they made with honey.

Later on, during the medieval period, the Spanish added caramelized sugar when making this dessert. Plus, they used the same ingredients as we currently do. Hence, we owe the modern version to them.

What's more, the Spanish brought flan to Mexico when Hernan Cortes made his way there in 1518. Consequently, the dish became a true staple of Mexican cuisine.

In America, this dessert was initially made popular by Mexican Americans. As for Europe, flan became widespread throughout the 1900s. It's been speculated that this was due to the option to make it in large quantities.

What Are the Different Types of Flan?

Flan is beloved all around the world. And many countries even have their own little take on it. Here are some examples:

• Mexico - As mentioned earlier, flan is one of the most popular dishes in Mexico. And they have a variation called "Flan Napolitano" which also has cream cheese.
• Spain - They have several versions of the dessert such as "Flan de huevo" or egg flan.
• Philippines - One of their variants is "eche flan" made with condensed milk and extra egg yolks.
• Croatia - Their version is called "rozata" which features a bit of local liquor that gives it a distinct flavor.
• Peru - They make it with condensed milk and other fruits.

How Many Calories in a Slice of Flan?

In a serving of 0.5 cup or 153 g, there are around 223 calories in flan. This includes 6 g of total fat or 9% of the daily value based on a 2000-calorie diet.

Additionally, there are 137.7 mg of cholesterol (45%), 81.1 mg of sodium (3%), and 180.5 mg of potassium (5%). As for the amount of protein and total carbohydrates it is 7 g (14%) and 35 g (11%) respectively.

What's more, we got calcium (12%), iron (3%), vitamin B6 (5%), cobalamin (10%), and magnesium (3%).

Where Can I Find Flan Near Me?

This fantastic dessert is available in many restaurants across the United States. But to make your search easier, we at Slice are here to offer some recommendations.

For those of you in Chicago, we suggest Taqueria El Ranchito on N Milwaukee Ave. You can give them a visit or order for takeout or delivery via the Slice app.

And if you're in NYC then Ray's Pizza & Bagel Cafe is the right place for you. Located at 2 Saint Marks Place, they're open 7 days a week and also offer pickup and delivery. And as a great bonus, you save 5% on any online order through Slice.

Of course, for any other place, just check the listings on this page.