Vegan Caramel Flan with Coconut Custard

1. This recipe has a video (see below) for easy visual instructions.

2. For the caramel, add sugar and water to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Once it starts boiling, turn down the heat, let simmer until it's dark golden brown and thickens, then turn off the heat.

3. Quickly pour the caramel into 4 small ramekins and spread the caramel around the bottom with a spoon or simply by tilting the ramekins. Set aside while you make the custard.

4. For the custard, add coconut milk, maple syrup, cornstarch, agar powder, vanilla extract, and sea salt to a medium-sized saucepan and stir with a whisk.

5. Once combined, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. As soon as it starts boiling, turn the heat to low and let simmer for 2 minutes to activate the agar, then remove from heat.

6. Pour the custard into the 4 ramekins and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours or overnight.

7. To unmold the flan, gently slide a knife around the edges of each ramekin. Invert a platter on top of the ramekin and turn the ramekin and platter over (shake it carefully). Check the step-by-step photos in the blog post above.

8. Enjoy! Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Notes

1. Refined sugar-free version: Try coconut sugar or date sugar with a little maple syrup instead of white sugar.

2. Coconut milk: You can also use lite coconut milk or a mixture of soy cream or oat cream with the addition of soy milk or oat milk.

3. Maple syrup: Agave syrup, brown rice syrup or any other liquid sweetener can be used instead of maple syrup.

4. Cornstarch: Arrowroot flour might be an alternative to cornstarch.

5. Agar powder: Make sure to use agar powder (not flakes). If you have agar flakes, you will need to use 3 times as much 2 teaspoons