By Jehan Yusoof  |  Updated October 2, 2026  |  ★ 4.8 (16 reviews) | 28 comments

Caramel pudding made with condensed milk, also known as Crème Caramel or Flan.
This caramel pudding recipe is one of the easiest desserts you can bake with the help of a can of condensed milk.
It’s a classic and old-fashioned egg custard-based dessert we all grew up with.
The best part of this condensed milk caramel pudding is that it is tested and improved by reader suggestions to make it the best creme caramel pudding out there.

★★★★★
If you try this, I’d love to know how it turned out. Just tap the stars in the recipe card; it helps other cooks find this recipe.

Why this caramel pudding (flan) recipe works

• My step-by-step photos and instructions with images show you every colour stage of the caramel, so you know when to take it off the heat.
• Adding fresh milk to the condensed milk makes the custard richer and firmer, so the pudding holds its shape even when you slice it for guests.
• Instead of steaming, I show you how to bake a caramel pudding(caramel flan)in an oven, which makes it an easy condensed milk dessert to make.
• This caramel pudding recipe shows you how to make it as an individual portion or as a one-dish light and smooth custard-based caramel flan for a crowd.

Beginner’s tips for perfect caramel pudding

• Have the moulds ready.
• Caramel
  • Making the caramel syrup is the only difficult part. Please pay attention to the steps of making the caramel syrup.
  • Use a light-coloured pan. An aluminium, stainless steel pan or ceramic-base pan lets you see the colour change clearly.
  • Use a wooden spoon as long as you need to dissolve the sugar, then avoid constantly stirring, as this will lead to the crystallisation of the sugar.
    Instead, tilt the pan and swirl the syrup around gently. 
  • Caramel keeps cooking off the heat. Take it off at light amber, or dip the base of the pan in cold water to stop it darkening into bitterness.
  • Aluminium moulds get extremely hot when you pour and swirl the caramel.
  • Once the caramel is ready, it will be extremely hot. If you are using aluminium pudding moulds, make sure your hands are protected when pouring the syrup or swirling the syrup in the moulds. 
  • Custard
    • Let the milk cool until just warm before adding the eggs, or you’ll end up with cooked egg in your pudding.

Ingredients for caramel pudding (flan)

You’ll find exact quantities in the recipe card below.

• For the caramel sauce.
  • Sugar and water: used to make the caramel syrup.
• For the caramel custard.
  • Sweetened condensed milk: one 14oz (397g) can. Don’t confuse this with evaporated milk.
  • Whole (full cream) milk: makes the custard firm and holds its shape.
  • Eggs: main ingredient that sets the custard, so don’t reduce or replace them.
  • Vanilla: can use extract or essence.
  • Water as needed to boil and pour into the baking dish

What you will need in the kitchen

• Wooden spoon
• Medium-sized pan to combine ingredients to make the custard pudding
• A pan to make the caramel syrup; use an aluminium pan so you can keep an eye on the changing colours of the sauce
• Whisk
• Ramekins or aluminium pudding moulds
• A roasting or baking tray for the water bath
• Baking as one dish dessert: if you are using a Pyrex dish, then an 11′ by 7″ rectangular Pyrex dish or a 9″ by 9″ square Pyrex dish would do
• Baking tray to hold the moulds

How to make caramel pudding ( flan)

Due to popular requests, I have also added how to make the caramel pudding as a one-bowl dessert in a Pyrex dish.

Make the caramel syrup for the flan

Before you begin, have the ramekins, aluminium moulds or the Pyrex dish dry and ready.
Place the pan over low-medium heat; add sugar and water.

Gradually heat the two ingredients until the sugar dissolves.
(If you skipped the beginner’s tips above, please read them before you proceed forward with the recipe).
Avoid constant stirring, but tilt the pan when you want to stir the sugar and water syrup(try not to stir or swirl too much, but only when you need to).
This is to avoid sugar crystallising.

Watch the syrup changing colour.

First, it will change into lighter brown(refer to the image below).

To a light amber. This is the perfect stage (refer to the image below)

Then to dark amber and finally dark brown (warning: the last two stages can lead to extreme bitterness of the sugar syrup).
Take the pan off the heat as soon as it reaches light amber. The heat left in the pan will darken it a little more. If it reaches dark amber, make the caramel again.

Pour the caramel into each mould or ramekin. Swirl so the syrup coats the bottom evenly and a little way up the sides. Set aside.

Make the custard

Pour the milk, condensed milk, and sugar into a pan.
Bring to a boil and immediately remove the pan from the fire; set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.
In a separate bowl, break the eggs; add vanilla and whisk until just combined.
Add the whisked eggs to the almost cool custard base.
Strain the custard base into a measuring cup or jug, preferably a jug that has a spout.

Bake in a water bath

Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F, gas 2). Work close to the oven so the tray is easy to move.
Boil some water separately in a kettle or pot.
Now, set the moulds or ramekins in a baking tray with space between them.
Fill each three-quarters full with custard.
Gently pour hot water into the tray until it comes halfway up the sides of the moulds.
Don’t let the water splash into the custard. Too much water can spill in; too little and the custard won’t cook evenly.
Carefully move the tray into the oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.
Remove the tray and let the caramel pudding cool for about 1 hour.

Serving the flan as a stand-alone dessert.

Once cool, run a knife around the edge of the pudding to loosen it. I find aluminium moulds work well for this.

Then place a saucer over the pudding and turn it upside down.
Gently tap the mould and remove the custard, refrigerate until serving time.

How to bake one large caramel pudding in a dish

Make the caramel and custard as above. Use one large Pyrex dish that holds all the custard, or two smaller ones, and make sure they’re completely dry.
(I have not mentioned the sizes of the Pyrex dishes, as you might have an oval or rounder or deeper dish.
Use the Pyrex dish you have. Since you are pouring the custard from a jug, you probably can guess if you will need one or two dishes of whatever Pyrex dishes you have to make the caramel pudding).
Pour the caramel into the dish and swirl to spread it, then gently pour the custard mixture over it.

Pour the caramel into the dish and swirl to spread it, then gently pour the custard over it. Cover tightly, pinching the edges so it’s sealed tight.
This dish doesn’t need a water bath.
Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C (340°F.
Check at 50 minutes if the caramel pudding is set.
Once done, remove the caramel pudding with great care.

Safety: a hot glass dish can crack if it touches even a drop of water, so set it down on a dry surface. Once the base is cool to the touch, chill for at least 2 to 3 hours.
Serve the caramel pudding as it or place a flat dish and invert the pudding onto this dish gently.

FAQ: caramel pudding with condensed milk.

• Can I make the caramel pudding without milk?
  • Yes, you can actually skip the milk and make the custard pudding using ONLY condensed milk and water. But I find adding milk to the custard recipe makes the caramel flan richer and firmer, especially when it needs to stand alone. 
  • Adding milk also makes it denser and helps to avoid the pudding from falling to pieces when the custard is sliced to serve guests(this helps when the caramel pudding is made for a crowd in a large Pyrex dish and everyone ends up slicing a piece of their own).
• Should the sugar syrup for the condensed milk flan be bitter?
  • This is one recipe in which a little bitterness to the caramel syrup will enhance the taste of the caramel pudding.

More condensed milk desserts

• Fluffy pineapple pudding with condensed milk
• Condensed milk baked chocolate biscuit cake
• Condensed milk-microwave fudge
• Easy condensed milk fudge sauce
• Condensed milk cinnamon iced coffee at home

More pudding recipes

• Watalappan (Sri Lankan coconut custard pudding)
• Chocolate Marie biscuit pudding(no-bake)
• Caramel bread pudding
• Classic baked bread and butter pudding

Watch more recipes on my YouTube channel

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JEHAN
Recipe creator. Food Blogger. Video creator
I’ve been cooking and sharing Sri Lankan recipes, along with other dishes I love making at home on Island Smile since 2015. I’ve tested every recipe on this site more than once in my own kitchen before it goes on the blog.
I grew up eating this food, and I still cook it the way my family taught me, just written down clearly enough for you to follow.
If a recipe doesn’t work the way I say it will, tell me in the comments; I read every one, and I’ll help you fix it.