Key Lime Cheesecake Flans

It’s a cheesecake. It’s a flan. It’s cheesecake flan!

When it comes to flan, people either love it or they hate it, there really is no in-between, and that was the inspiration for this recipe. I wanted to share a recipe where people who are not fond of flan can give it another chance with the addition of cheesecake. This dessert has the texture of flan and cheesecake all in one bite and the addition of key limes gives this dessert a classic sunny twist.

Cheesecake Flans

While classic flan is silky with a melt-in-your mouth texture, cream cheese flan is a bit denser and sort of cheesecake-like in consistency.

Cheesecake Flans

Growing up my family did not make flan. It was always a special occasion dessert we ordered in a restaurant.

Now, when I’m looking for an impressive dessert to serve that won’t take a lot of time to make, I make flan. Yes, there’s a bit of time involved in caramelizing sugar and then placing ramekins in a water bath, but it’s worth it once you overturn your ramekins to reveal beautiful, creamy flan. Best part is that the longer these sit in the fridge the better the flavor, so you can make these a few days before a special meal.

This creamy sweet and tangy cheesecake flan is loaded with flavor and with Easter almost here, and spring right around the corner, this delectable creamy dessert is a satisfying but not-too-heavy ending to a festive meal.

La Lechera sweetened condensed milk key limes

This dessert is made with the creamy sweetness of Nestlé® La Lechera® Sweetened Condensed Milk, evaporated milk, cream cheese, fresh key lime juice, and garnished with lime zest, raw sugar, and candied lime slices.

If you want to forgo the candied lime slices try sprinkling flan with toasted coconut, similar to this Tres Leches recipe.

key lime cheesecake flan

Key Lime Cheesecake Flans and Candied Lime Slices

3.50 (2 ratings)
This creamy sweet and tangy cheesecake flan is loaded with flavor. This delectable creamy dessert is a satisfying but not-too-heavy ending to a festive meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 2 egg yolks, room temperature
  • 1 14-ounce can Nestlé® La Lechera® Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
  • 1/2 cup milk, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla paste or extract
  • 1/2 cup fresh key lime juice, 12-14 limes
  • raw sugar
  • lime zest
  • toasted coconut, optional

Candied Lime Slices:

  • 2 key limes
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons granulated or raw sugar

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  • Cook sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan for 5 to 7 minutes or until melted and medium-brown in color.
  • Divide the hot caramel among 6-ounce ramekins or 4-inch part pans, swirling each one to cover the bottom.
  • In a blender, blend the cream cheese for 1 minute. Add eggs and egg yolks, and blend until well blended. Slowly add all three milks and the vanilla, and beat until combined.
  • Add lime juice and continue to blend for 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Pour the mixture through a strainer, and then divide it evenly among the ramekins or tart/quiche pans (about 1/2 cup each).
  • Place ramekins in a roasting pan. Place the roasting pan on the center rack of the oven and add hot water to the roasting pan halfway up the sides of the ramekins (be careful not to splash water into the ramekins).
  • Tightly cover the pan with foil and bake for 40 minutes or until the edges are set (the center may not be set).
  • Transfer the baking pan to a rack. Uncover and let the flans cool completely in the water bath, about 2 hours. Remove the ramekins from the water, cover with plastic, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
  • Carefully run a butter knife around the edges to loosen, and invert the flan onto a serving platter.
  • Sprinkle raw sugar and fresh lime zest over the cheesecake flans for an added punch of fresh citrus flavor. Garnish the dessert with candied lime slices or toasted coconut.

Candied Lime Slices:

  • Slice limes into thin rounds; and blanch in a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes and drain.
  • In the same pot, combine water and sugar. Stir sugar and water over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Add lime slices and reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, till the pith of limes are translucent.
  • Drain and spread slices on a cooling rack to dry for at least 1 hour.
  • When limes are dry, sprinkle them with sugar and then coat both sides of the lime slices by pressing them into the sugar.
  • Store in an airtight container in the freezer between parchment paper or plastic wrap till ready to use.

Notes

If you want to forgo the candied lime slices try sprinkling flan with toasted coconut, similar to this Tres Leches recipe.
Calories: 456.36kcal, Carbohydrates: 74.91g, Protein: 8.54g, Fat: 14.95g, Saturated Fat: 8.39g, Cholesterol: 111.79mg, Sodium: 170.03mg, Potassium: 326.18mg, Fiber: 0.38g, Sugar: 72.73g, Vitamin A: 579.42IU, Vitamin C: 8.47mg, Calcium: 243.64mg, Iron: 0.52mg

This post is in partnership with Nestlé® La Lechera®. As always, thank you for reading and for supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. All opinions are always my own.