Description
This Vegan Ube Flan is a luscious, plant-based twist on the classic Filipino dessert, featuring vibrant purple ube flavor and creamy coconut custard set atop a rich caramel layer. Made without dairy or eggs, it’s perfect for vegan and lactose-intolerant dessert lovers, offering a smooth, silky texture with a hint of tropical sweetness.
Ingredients
Scale
Caramel
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 30 ml water
Custard
- 280 ml evaporated coconut milk
- 320 g ube sweetened condensed coconut milk
- 200 ml non-dairy milk (oat milk, almond milk, or soy milk)
- 200 g coconut whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 40 g cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons agar-agar powder (NOT agar flakes)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 60 g vegan butter (cold and cubed)
Instructions
- Prepare Pan: Place a 21cm/8-inch flanera or a similar-sized cake pan without a removable base on a tray and set aside.
- Make Caramel: In a saucepan over low heat, stir together sugar and water until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high, avoid stirring further, and let it boil until golden at edges. Swirl pan gently to caramelize evenly. Once deep amber, remove from heat immediately.
- Set Caramel Layer: Pour hot caramel quickly into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Allow it to cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes until it hardens.
- Blend Custard Ingredients: In a high-speed blender, combine evaporated coconut milk, ube condensed coconut milk, non-dairy milk, coconut whipping cream, cornstarch, agar-agar powder, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Blend until smooth.
- Cook Custard: Transfer blended custard to a saucepan and heat over medium heat, whisking continuously. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes until thickened, stirring constantly to prevent sticking. Remove from heat.
- Incorporate Butter: Place cubed vegan butter in a large mixing bowl and set a fine-mesh sieve on top. Pour custard through sieve into bowl with butter, then whisk until the butter fully blends and the mixture is smooth and creamy. Let cool at room temperature for 20 minutes, whisking every 5 minutes to prevent skin formation.
- Assemble Flan: Pour custard over the set caramel layer in the pan, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon or offset spatula. Allow to cool to room temperature. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for 12-24 hours until fully set.
- Loosen Flan for Serving: Just before serving, carefully run a sharp knife about 1 inch deep around the pan’s inner edge to loosen custard without damaging the sides.
- Unmold and Serve: Place a large serving plate on top and invert pan quickly. Slowly lift pan to release flan, allowing caramel sauce to cascade down the sides beautifully.
- Storage Tips: Best enjoyed within 1-2 days of setting. Keep flan refrigerated in mold until just before serving. Ideally, prepare one day ahead.
Notes
- Use agar-agar powder, not flakes, to ensure proper thickening for the vegan flan.
- Cold vegan butter helps achieve a smooth, creamy texture when mixed into the custard.
- Do not stir caramel after it starts boiling to avoid crystallization; swirling the pan gently is recommended.
- Ensure the cake pan has no removable base to prevent leaks.
- Whisk custard during cooling to prevent skin formation on top for a silky texture.
- This recipe yields a vibrant purple flan rich in ube flavor, perfect for vegan diets.
- Use a sharp knife to loosen the flan carefully to retain its smooth appearance exactly.
