Easy Caribbean Coconut Flan
Creamy and velvety coconut flan with caramel, smooth and melt-in-your-mouth. This gluten-free Caribbean flan is baked all at once and magically forms three layers after baking: a silky flan topped with golden caramel and a soft coconut biscuit layer made with shredded coconut.
Very popular in the French Antilles, Puerto Rico, and more broadly known as a West Indian flan, this indulgent dessert is made with just a few simple ingredients, including sweetened condensed milk and coconut milk, which can be replaced with whole milk if desired, giving it its rich, melt-in-the-mouth creaminess.
Easy to prepare, this tropical delight is perfect for any occasion, whether you want to impress your guests or simply enjoy a taste of the islands. Serve chilled for a refreshing finish or as the perfect dessert to end a meal.
If you enjoyed this coconut flan, don’t miss my chocoflan recipe, another delicious layered dessert that’s sure to impress!
Table of Contents
Tips and tricks for Making the Perfect Coconut Flan
Use Whole Eggs: You can prepare the flan by mixing whole eggs with sweetened condensed milk, or by separating the yolks and whites and beating the whites until stiff; both methods give the same result, so using whole eggs saves time and effort.
Choose Your Milk: You can use coconut milk, whole milk, or a combination of both depending on your taste.
Select Your Mold: This flan can be made in different molds, such as a springform pan, loaf pan, or savarin mold. The smaller the mold, the taller the flan will appear for a more elegant presentation.
Adjust Flan and Coconut Layers: For a thicker flan layer, add more of the flan mixture. For a thinner coconut sponge, reduce the amount of coconut by a third, and adapt it to your preference.
Check Doneness: Cooking times may vary depending on your oven. To check doneness, the flan should be stable in the mold without shaking. Insert a skewer, and it should come out dry.
Prevent Over-Browning: If the top of the flan browns too much before the baking time ends, cover it with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.
Easy Unmolding: To facilitate unmolding, refrigerate the flan for at least 5 hours. If it still resists, briefly dip the mold into a pan of hot water, about 10 seconds, to liquefy the caramel, and the flan will slide easily into the serving dish.
Recipe on video
Ingredients:
NB: Find the printable recipe card at the end of the article.
For a loaf pan measuring 24 × 11 × 7 cm (9.5 × 4.3 × 2.8 inches) (with a 1.2-liter capacity)
- 1 can (400 g / 14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 400 ml (13.5 fl oz) whole milk
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 80 g (2.8 oz) shredded coconut
Caramel:
- 120 g (4.2 oz) granulated sugar
- 35 ml (1.2 fl oz) water
- 15 ml (0.5 fl oz) water for deglazing
You can also make a dry caramel with 150 g (5.3 oz) sugar, without water.
How to Make Coconut Flan:
Caramel
Place the sugar and 35 ml (1.2 fl oz) of water in a saucepan over medium heat to caramelize. Do not stir with a spoon, as this may cause the caramel to crystallize.
Gently swirl the pan as the sugar melts and begins to caramelize. Once it reaches a rich golden-brown color, remove from heat and deglaze with 15 ml (0.5 fl oz) of water. Immediately cover with a plate to prevent splattering.
Pour the caramel into the bottom of the pan and tilt or swirl it to coat the surface evenly.
Tip: To prevent the caramel from hardening too quickly before coating the pan, gently warm the mold on the stovetop. Always use oven mitts to avoid burns.
You can also make a caramel dry:
Place 150 g (5.3 oz) of sugar in a saucepan over low heat. As it begins to color, gently swirl the pan without stirring. Remove from heat when it reaches a golden brown.
Immediately pour the caramel into the bottom of the mold and tilt the pan to evenly coat the surface.
Making the Coconut Flan:
Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F).
You can use whole eggs or separate them and beat the egg whites until stiff.
In a mixing bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk with the whole eggs (or just the yolks) and vanilla extract.
Add the milk and stir, then fold in the shredded coconut. Mix gently, do not whisk.
Note : If you choose to separate the eggs, beat the egg whites until stiff, then fold them gently into the mixture. Don’t try to smooth it out, it’s important to leave some bits of egg white on the surface, forming a sort of floating cloud.
Pour this mixture over the caramel in the loaf pan.
Place the mold in a deep baking dish and fill it halfway with boiling water (bain-marie cooking).
Bake for about 50 minutes, depending on your oven. If the top starts to brown too quickly, cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.
Check for doneness with a skewer, it should come out clean. The top of the flan should be firm and golden.
Once baked, remove from the oven and let it cool slightly before refrigerating for at least 5 hours. I usually leave it overnight. 
Let the flan cool completely before unmolding so it sets nicely and releases smoothly. Before inverting the pan, gently run a knife or toothpick around the edges to loosen it.
You can also make this coconut flan in mini portions for an elegant dessert assortment.
Enjoy your meal!
FAQ
Can condensed milk be substituted?
Yes, absolutely! You can replace sweetened condensed milk with whole milk or coconut milk. If you use milk instead, increase the number of eggs , about 8 eggs for 1 liter (4 cups) of milk, and add around 120 g (4.2 oz) of sugar to sweeten the mixture.
Can coconut be substituted?
That’s a question I’m often asked! Although it won’t really be a coconut flan anymore, you can replace the shredded coconut with a simple sponge cake batter.
To make it, whisk together 1 egg, 30 g (1 oz) sugar, 30 g (1 oz) flour, and 2 tablespoons of oil (optional). Prepare this as you would a classic sponge cake, then pour the flan mixture over the caramel in the loaf pan and spread the sponge batter on top. The baking time remains the same.
Caribbean Creamy Coconut Flan ( flan de coco )
EQUIPEMENTS
INGREDIENTS
For a loaf pan measuring 24 × 11 × 7 cm (9.5 × 4.3 × 2.8 inches) (with a 1.2-liter capacity)
- 1 can 400 g / 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 400 ml whole milk
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 80 g shredded coconut
Caramel:
- 120 g granulated sugar
- 35 ml water 1.2 fl oz
- 15 ml water for deglazing (0.5 fl oz)
- You can also make a dry caramel with 150 g / 5.3 oz sugar, without water.
PREPARATION
Caramel
- Place the sugar and 35 ml (1.2 fl oz) of water in a saucepan over medium heat to caramelize. Do not stir with a spoon, as this may cause the caramel to crystallize.
- Gently swirl the pan as the sugar melts and begins to caramelize. Once it reaches a rich golden-brown color, remove from heat and deglaze with 15 ml (0.5 fl oz) of water. Immediately cover with a plate to prevent splattering.
- Pour the caramel into the bottom of the pan and tilt or swirl it to coat the surface evenly.
- Tip: To prevent the caramel from hardening too quickly before coating the pan, gently warm the mold on the stovetop. Always use oven mitts to avoid burns.
- You can also make a caramel dry:
- Place 150 g (5.3 oz) of sugar in a saucepan over low heat. As it begins to color, gently swirl the pan without stirring. Remove from heat when it reaches a golden brown.
- Immediately pour the caramel into the bottom of the mold and tilt the pan to evenly coat the surface.
Making the Coconut Flan:
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F).
- You can use whole eggs or separate them and beat the egg whites until stiff.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk with the whole eggs (or just the yolks) and vanilla extract.
- Add the milk and stir, then fold in the shredded coconut. Mix gently, do not whisk.
- Note : If you choose to separate the eggs, beat the egg whites until stiff, then fold them gently into the mixture. Don’t try to smooth it out, it’s important to leave some bits of egg white on the surface, forming a sort of floating cloud.
- Pour this mixture over the caramel in the loaf pan.
- Place the mold in a deep baking dish and fill it halfway with boiling water (bain-marie cooking).
- Bake for about 50 minutes, depending on your oven. If the top starts to brown too quickly, cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.
- Check for doneness with a skewer, it should come out clean. The top of the flan should be firm and golden.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and let it cool slightly before refrigerating for at least 5 hours. I usually leave it overnight.
- Let the flan cool completely before unmolding so it sets nicely and releases smoothly. Before inverting the pan, gently run a knife or toothpick around the edges to loosen it.
- You can also make this coconut flan in mini portions for an elegant dessert assortment.
- Enjoy your meal!
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