Need a make ahead dessert? I’ve got a vanilla almond flan that will impress even the toughest critics. This rich and creamy flan is flavored with vanilla and almonds and is finished off with chopped honey roasted almonds and raspberries.
Flan is a classic dessert, and this dairy free version is so good you’ll never miss the milk!
This post is sponsored by Almond Breeze. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Dinner at the Zoo possible.
I grew up eating flan pretty regularly – my mom used to make it as a way to use up leftover eggs. This vanilla almond flan is a more modern take on the classic dessert. I’ve made a few changes that I think make it even better than the original!
I wanted to incorporate an almond flavor throughout the flan so I used Almond Breeze Almondmilk Cashewmilk Blend instead of cows milk.
The addition of the cashew makes the almondmilk extra creamy, this flan tastes as good or better than any dairy based custard that I’ve ever had.
How do you make almond flan?
This flan is quite simple to make, the hardest part is making the caramel which requires a pan, some sugar and a watchful eye. The caramel gets poured into a cake pan and a quick custard that’s whipped up in the blender goes on top. The beauty of this dessert is you can make it a day or two in advance and unmold it when you’re ready to eat.
While I love smooth and silky flan, I also love an interplay of flavors and textures, so I topped the flan with some coarsely chopped Blue Diamond Honey Roasted almonds and some fresh fruit. Dessert perfection if you ask me – and no one will believe that it’s dairy free!
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More great dessert recipes
- Apple Fries
- Avalanche Cookies
- Cherry Cheesecake Dip
- Red Velvet Cookies
- Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
Vanilla Almond Flan
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups of granulated sugar divided use
- 2 cups Almond Breeze Almondmilk Cashewmilk Blend can use regular or unsweetened
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup Blue Diamond Honey Roasted almonds coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup raspberries for garnish optional
- mint sprigs for garnish optional
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Pour 3/4 cup of sugar into a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and carefully move the pan frequently, without stirring, until it takes on a deep amber hue. Pour into the bottom of an 8 inch cake pan coated with cooking spray. Set aside to cool.
- Add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, almond milk, egg yolks, eggs, vanilla and salt to a blender and mix on lowest setting until blended.
- Carefully pour the custard into the prepared pan and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Place the prepared mold in a larger rectangular pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan so that it comes halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 60 to 75 minutes until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean - flan may still jiggle a little which is fine.
- Allow to cool completely inside the water bath then refrigerate covered at least 4 hours or overnight.
- To unmold the flan, run a thin knife along the side of pan. Gently shake to loosen. Invert a large plate over the flan and quickly invert the mold in one motion. Top with chopped almonds and raspberries. Garnish with mint if desired. Cut into wedges and serve.
Gracie says
Made this for my family and added just a scant 2 tablespoons of cornstarch because I used a pretty thin coconut milk, and it turned out delicious! A more custardy flavor than I’m used to, but I also haven’t had an authentic homemade flan before. This was amazing and my whole family loved it! And because there’s no dairy, we could all eat it! Thank you so much for sharing!
V says
I am really excited to try this! What other size pan could you reccomend if you dont have an 8 inch cake pan?
Sara says
Any 2 quart baking dish should work!
Lizza says
Can i just use whole eggs instead of just yolks? Tnx
Sara says
It will not be as flavorful if you use whole eggs, but you could try it!
Dave says
Hello
Do you think this recipe could be made in individual jar and cook sous vide?
Thanks
Sara says
I’m not sure as I’ve never tried it this way before, I think it could possibly work!
Julie says
Thanks for the awesome tip on how to melt the sugar to make caramel sauce, always had trouble with that part 🙂
P.J. Brown says
Would it be okay to substitute whole coconut milk for half or all of the milk?
It looks wonderful! Thanks.
Sara says
Yes that will work just fine!
Aurea says
Are eggs dairy or poultry? I was looking for a vegan version of flan and came across this recipe. I’d love to try it but I don’t eat eggs anymore. Any suggestions? I’ve heard tofu and agar flakes.
Sara says
Eggs are not vegan, and to be honest, the eggs are a big component of this recipe so I don’t think you’d be able to substitute something else.
Leona says
2 questions
1 can I use st unsweet almond milk
2 how would you suggest making processed sugar free
Sara says
Yes you can use unsweetened almond milk. I have not made this without sugar, but you could try honey or maple syrup.
Cynthia says
This looks great! I need a non-dairy dessert for a Mexican-style dinner. If I would like to serve 12, can I multiply this recipe by 1.5? Should I then use a 9-in pie pan? I am nervous about making this change and still having the inversion work properly. I have never made flan before . . .
Sara says
I would make 2 separate flans, only because a larger amount would have to cook for longer and I’m not exactly sure how much time you’d have to add. Hope that helps!