This low carb pumpkin flan might just be the perfect fall dessert. Creamy and rich, with a sweet covering of caramel when you flip it out onto a plate. A great recipe for your low carb holidays.
I am about to serve you up five savoury recipes in five days, an unheard-of feat in the history of All Day I Dream About Food. Rest assured, it’s not going to become standard practice; I just happen to be part of a fun cooking challenge that uses only savoury ingredients and requires 5 recipes in 5 days. And all of these were created and written before Tim’s accident, thank goodness, so I barely have to lift a finger for them.
But I didn’t want to flood your inboxes and feeds with savory low carb recipes without first leaving you with some sort of heavenly low carb dessert recipe to balance it out. Yes, it is another pumpkin recipe, and who knows, it may be my pumpkin swan song for this year. But I had an open can of pumpkin puree from my low carb Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins and some low carb sweetened condensed milk that also needed using. And I had an anniversary date with my husband in the hospital, so whipping up a pumpkin flan for us to celebrate just seemed like the right thing to do!
Pumpkin Flan – Low Carb and Gluten-Free
Ingredients
Caramel Sauce:
- 1/4 cup xylitol
- 1/4 cup Swerve Sweetener
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp molasses
Flan:
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 4 large eggs
- 1 recipe Low Carb Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup Swerve Sweetener
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp stevia extract
Instructions
- Butter small 8 ramekins (3 to 4 inches in diameter) and preheat oven to 325F.
- For the caramel sauce, combine xylitol, Swerve, water and molasses in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. Set aside.
- For the flan, combine pumkin, eggs, sweetened condensed milk, cream, sweetener, cinnamon, vanilla and stevia in a medium bowl.
- Whisk until well combined and smooth.
- Divide caramel sauce between prepared ramekins.
- Divide flan mixture between prepared ramekins.
- Bake 40 to 50 minutes, or until flan is just set in center.
- Remove and let cool.
- To serve, run a sharp knife around the edges of the flan to loosen and flip out onto plate.
- Un-served flans can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and kept in the refrigerator.
Notes
Sandy says
I really want to try this recipe but I don’t have Swerve. Can I use Splenda instead? I have regular and baking Splenda.
Carolyn says
You can certainly make the custard with Splenda but it won’t work for the caramel topping at all.
Carol W says
Do you think that if I process the Erythritol into a powder it would mix better and prevent it from sticking to the bottom?
Carolyn says
Hard to say, since I don’t typically powder my erythritol at home. Grease the ramekin regardless if you try it.
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
Carolyn, I love flan and have never made it at home!!! I think this might be the recipe that makes me do it! Looks so good and I have plenty of pumpkin puree!! love this!
Shari @ Shari Blogs says
My parents live the low carb lifestyle and LOVE flan. I don’t think they have ever tried it like this before though. I think I am going to have to make one for them. Sounds delicious!! I shared it in my Pumpkin Round Up on my blog today! 🙂 http://shariblogs.com/35-pumpkin-dessert-recipes/
Carolyn says
Thanks, Shari. I pinned your blog post.
Martina says
Love this recipe! I thought I could use just Erythritol but you’re right – it will stick to the bottom. I’ll try just stevia and see how that works. Thank you!
Mary. says
i love anything pumpkin and i tried flan, but never flan made with pumpkin. BTW, can i use just sugar, in place of “swerve”?
Carolyn says
Sure, use the same amount of sugar.
Arthur in the Garden! says
Wonderful!
Lora @cakeduchess says
I just love this pumpkin flan, Carolyn. Flan is a favorite dessert of mine and now I have got try a pumpkin version. Been thinking of you and I hope that Tim is doing ok. xx
Ivonne Carlo says
How do I love thee… let me count the ways! Pumpkin flan is my ABFAV! Thank you for reading my mind 😛
Holly says
Carolyn, I recently discovered your website and OMG! Can’t wait to start making your recipes. Seems like low carb is the only way I can maintain my weight and I am gluten intolerant and casein intolerant (I use coconut milk everything in place of dairy), sugar intolerant, blah, blah, blah I am excited to try cooking with Swerve but I am wondering if you have heard of “Just Like Sugar” which is a zero-carb sweetener derived from chicory root and might be better in cold dishes because it’s not supposed to crystallize like erythritol. Do you think that might be a healthy option?
Carolyn says
I have heard of just like sugar, but I have yet to use it so I really can’t say how it will work. It’s certainly worth a try!
tea says
What a treat to get this in lieu of hospital food!
Happy Anniversary – thank goodness for extra chances to say “I love you.”
Cheers and health to you both.
Goldiegal says
Sounds delish!
Carolyn, what can I sub for Xylitol? I don’t use it because it is so toxic to dogs and my poor old pooch is very precious to us. I am afraid, with my arthritic hands, that I may drop or spill some.
Thanks for your help and your wonderful recipes.
I do hope your hubby is well on the mend.
Carolyn says
You can use all erythritol, but it will likely harden in the end and stick to the bottom. Not sure what other options you have, though. Maybe make the flan plain and use the caramel sauce to drizzle over it after it’s out of the ramekin? Again, it will still harden but it will taste really good!
Goldiegal says
Thanks. I will give it a whirl.
P.J. says
This looks heavenly! Do you think the flan would freeze well? There are only 2 of us so eight of these will go a long way. I hope your husband is doing well and his recovery goes smoothly. We did the anniversary-in-hospital thing a couple of years ago, and while not ideal, you make it a good one wherever you may be. Happy anniversary to you both!
Carolyn says
Hi PJ…I don’t think it would freeze well, but you could easily make a half batch of both the condensed milk and then the flan and so you could have it two nights in a row for dessert.