Quesoflan / Cream Cheese Flan

Quesoflan / Cream Cheese Flan / Cheese Cream Caramel

Ingredients

For the Caramel

• 1 cup granulated sugar + 3 tbsp water OR


• 1 cup granulated sugar + 1/3 cup water OR

For the Flan Custard

• 1 block (8 oz / 225g) cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 1 can (14 oz / 390g) sweetened condensed milk + 1 can (12oz / 354ml) evaporated milk OR
• 2 cup fresh milk + 1/4 cup sugar.
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt (optional)

Baking Setup & Equipment

• Baking dish: A 7-inch cake pan for good height.
• Water bath setup: A larger roasting pan that fits your cake pan.
• Oven: Preheated to 350°F (180°C).

Instructions

Make the Caramel

- Melt 1 sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat.

- Do NOT stir—swirl the pan occasionally until it turns a deep amber color (approx. 8–10 mins).

- Immediately pour into your cake pan and swirl quickly to coat the bottom. Set aside to harden.

Blend the Custard

- In a blender, combine cream cheese, eggs, vanilla, and salt.

- Blend on medium until completely smooth.

- In a pan, heat up the fresh milk and sugar until slightly thicken.  Let it cool down before combine with the cheese.

Prepare the Water Bath

- Pour the blended mixture into the caramel-lined pan through a fine-mesh strainer (for an extra silky texture).

- Place the baking pan inside the larger roasting pan.

- Pour hot water into the roasting pan.

Bake & Cool

- Bake for 60 to 80 minutes at 350°F (180°C).

- Test for doneness: The edges should look set, but the center should still have a uniform, gentle jiggle when shaken.

- Remove from the water bath and cool completely at room temperature (approx. 1 hour).

- Refrigerate for AT LEAST 4 hours (ideally overnight) to fully set.

Unmold & Serve

- Run a thin knife gently along the inside edges of the pan.

- Place a rimmed serving plate over the top of the pan and invert swiftly.

- Tap the top; the flan will release and the caramel sauce will coat the top and pool around the edges.

Homemade mixed berries jam

I love eating fruit jam on toast. But most jams from the store are way too sweet. You taste the sugar more than the real fruit. It is very hard to find a jam that is less sweet in supermarkets here.

So, I decided to make my own at home.

My Simple Ingredients

• 1 packet of frozen mixed berries

• A handful of fresh mulberries from my garden

• 1 Local gula nisan (palm sugar) for sweetness

• Chia seeds to make the jam thick without adding too much sugar.

• White wine (optional)

• Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

Even though it was a bit sour, I was happy with the outcome.

Tips I found online.

If your homemade jam is too sour, here are a few simple ways to fix it without adding cups of white sugar:

1. Add a tiny pinch of salt: A little salt helps cut down the sour taste and brings out the natural sweet flavor of the fruit.

2. Try honey or maple syrup: Mixing a little honey with gula nisan can help soften the sharp sourness of berries.

3. Let the chia seeds rest: Chia seeds take 15 to 20 minutes to soak up the juices and thicken the jam properly. Let the jam sit off the heat before putting it in a jar.

*update: After 2 days in the fridge, the jam tasted so good, not too sour anymore.