Pumpkin Flan with Chai Whipped Cream

2 pumpkin flans on plates on a table, topped with chai whipped cream, with a small cup of coffee.

4.36 from 14 votes

This pumpkin flan with chai whipped cream recipe is the silkiest, creamiest, most elegantly spiced flan you could serve at your fanciest Autumn dinner parties or decadent Thanksgiving dinners!

Prep Time30

Cook Time45

Setting time5

Total Time6 15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: International

Servings: flan custards

Calories: 352kcal

Author: Genevieve Morrison

Equipment

small sauce pan
medium pot
medium mixing bowl
large, deep baking dish
6 6oz. ramekins
tea towel (kitchen towel)
measuring cup
mixing spoon
whisk
cellophane
standing or immersion blender
strainer to strain tea from cream

Ingredients

For the Caramel

1 cup white granulated sugar
3½ tbsp. water

For the Custard

1½ cups whole milk
3 large eggs
½ cup pumpkin puree
6 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. real vanilla extract - I use Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract
1 tsp. pumpkin spice
1 tbsp. whisky - optional

For the Chai Cream

½ cup heavy whipping cream
2 chai tea bags
1 tsp. white granulated sugar

Instructions

For the Flan

Lay a tea towel into a deep baking sheet and place 6 ramekins on top. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 325 F. (165. C) In a small sauce pan over MEDIUM heat, add 1 cup white granulated sugar and 3½ tablespoons water. Give it a little mix with a wooden spoon (only once) to make sure the water is evenly distributed. The caramel process should take about 10-11 minutes from when you turn on the heat to when you pour your caramel.
Again, do not mix sugar while it boils and bubbles. After 5-7 minutes you’ll start to notice the color changing and a smell of caramel. Let it continue to bubble without mixing for at least 2-4 more minutes.
When the sugar is starting to look like the color of warm mahogany, pick up your pan and give it a swirl. It will keep cooking once you remove the pan. Once color is right, pour evenly into the bottom of ramekins. (See detailed instructions in post to see exactly the correct color.)
Note: If you don’t have a white pan to help you easily see the color, use a spoon to drip a few drops onto a white plate.
In a medium mixing bowl, add 3 large eggs, 6 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice, ½ cup pumpkin puree and 1 tablespoon whisky (optional). Use a standing blender or immersion blender to combine. Blend for 1-2 full minutes. Set aside.
In a medium pot, add 1½ cups whole milk and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Turn your heat to MEDIUM. Heat for 3-5 minutes, or until a small amount of steam begins to rise, stirring occasionally.
Very slowly and steadily, pour egg mixture into heating vanilla milk, stirring/whisking the whole time you pour. If you don’t stir, the eggs may cook unevenly and get chunky. Once added, slowly stir for another 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Evenly pour pumpkin custard into ramekins, over the caramel.
Place pan in oven, and use a tea kettle to fill the pan half-way up the glasses with water (or you can fill the pan with water first and carefully place in the oven, but I find this to be a little tricky to do without spilling). Bake for 45 minutes to an hour until the edges of your flan are slightly brown.
Very carefully remove the pan and remove the ramekins with a towel or oven mitt. (Be careful not to spill hot water!) When they’re cool enough to touch, cover them with cellophane and place them in the fridge to set for a minimum of 5 hours. Ideally, 24 hours.

For the Chai Cream

Add a ½ cup heavy whipping cream and 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar to a clean sauce pan. Empty 2 chai tea bags into the cream. Simmer on LOW (don't boil) for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir and let it steep for an extra minute. Strain the tea out of the cream and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. The cream won't whip if it's warm.
Pour cream into a food processor or blender and blend for about 10-20 seconds until whipped.

Notes

Be careful! That sugar and water gets hot!

Although this pumpkin flan appears simple enough, you’re creating some very hot melted sugar caramel, and a single drop on the skin can be quite painful.

You’re also creating a “bain-marie;” filling your baking pan with water up to the middle of the ramekins. This will make your pan quite heavy and full of scolding hot water when removed from the oven, so make sure the kids and pups are nowhere near the kitchen when you make this recipe.

To serve flan:

Simply use a pairing knife to cut around the top edges of the flan, and insert the knife down one side. You should be able to simply flip the ramekin onto a plate and it will fall down on its own, with all the luscious caramel dripping down the sides. Top with chai whipped cream.

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