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Shokoflan or crème caramel – an incredible Mexican pie
Instructions
Break the chocolate into pieces and together with cubes of butter, place in a pot over low heat, stirring constantly until the chocolate and butter completely melt and form a homogeneous mass. Remove the pot from heat and set aside to cool.
Beat the eggs with sugar and carefully pour them into the chocolate mixture. Mix well. Add flour and cocoa, and mix again. You will have a liquid batter that resembles thick sour cream.
To prepare the cream, whip the eggs with sugar, then add fresh and condensed milk. Mix gently until a homogeneous mass is formed. To make the caramel, mix the water with sugar in a separate saucepan, then place over low heat. The syrup should be stirred constantly until it turns into caramel. Watch to ensure the caramel doesn't burn, as this can give it a bitter taste. Once the batter, cream, and caramel are ready, we begin assembling the chocoflan. I used a special pie dish made for liquid batter, but a regular baking tray with high edges can also be used. My dish has a diameter of 20 cm. First, you need to grease the bottom and sides of the dish or tray with caramel. Then pour the batter into the dish, and on top of the batter - the cream. The dish should be dipped into a container with hot water. Only after this should the tray be placed in the preheated oven at 180 degrees. Bake the chocoflan for about 60 minutes.
As soon as the chocoflan is ready, it must be immediately removed from the mold by flipping it, otherwise, the caramel may harden, making it much more difficult to do so later. The chocoflan should cool. The cold pie is carefully sliced with a sharp knife. This dessert is always served cold, preferably from the refrigerator.
Tips
- 1
Use high-quality dark chocolate for best finished sponge flavor. Low-cocoa chocolate produces flat one-dimensional results; properly high-cocoa-content dark chocolate (60% or higher) produces the proper signature deep rich character authentic to traditional Mexican chocoflan preparations. The chocolate quality matters more than home bakers typically realize for finished dessert-quality and overall family-meal success consistently across batches reliably across various celebration occasions throughout the year for proper traditional Mexican-style results.
- 2
Use water bath (bain-marie) for proper finished even baking. Direct oven heat produces uneven curdled custard layer; properly water-bath baking produces the proper signature smooth tender custard character authentic to traditional Mexican flan preparations. The same water-bath principle elevates many custard preparations including butter-based crème caramel desserts across various traditional international culinary occasions throughout the year reliably.
- 3
Flip immediately upon removal from oven for proper finished caramel layer. Letting the chocoflan cool in the mold causes caramel hardening and difficult unmolding; properly immediate flipping while warm produces the proper signature caramel-coated character authentic to traditional Mexican preparations. The patient immediate-flip principle pays back significantly in finished chocoflan-presentation consistently across batches and various caramel-desserts throughout the year for proper traditional results worth showcasing reliably across various celebration occasions for proper home-baking results.
- 4
Pair the finished chocoflan with traditional accompaniments for proper presentation. Serve cold from refrigerator with whipped cream, alongside fresh berries for substantial dessert spreads, or with hot Mexican coffee for elegant celebration presentations worth showcasing across various entertaining occasions reliably. Pair with crusty homemade bread for substantial brunch dessert spreads throughout the year for proper traditional results worth showcasing reliably across various family-meal occasions throughout the year.
FAQ
Can I use milk chocolate instead? +
Yes, milk chocolate works as substitute producing equally delicious but sweeter results. Each option produces distinct character: dark chocolate provides intense bitter-sweet depth authentic to traditional Mexican preparations, milk chocolate produces sweeter milder profile suitable for younger palates. Reduce additional sugar slightly when using milk chocolate to balance the increased natural sweetness. Choose based on personal preference and intended audience for proper finished chocoflan variations consistently throughout the year reliably across various celebration occasions and family meals.
How long does chocoflan keep? +
Stored covered in the refrigerator, the chocoflan keeps for 3-4 days at peak quality. The flavors meld and improve over the first 24 hours as components marry beautifully. The caramel layer slightly softens with refrigeration, creating perfect sauce-like consistency. Best consumed within 2-3 days for the brightest most appealing finished results across multiple dessert applications throughout the year reliably across various family-meal occasions throughout the year for proper traditional Mexican dessert character preserved properly.
Can I use goat's milk like traditional Mexicans? +
Yes, goat's milk works beautifully producing more authentic Mexican character. Each option produces distinct character: cow's milk is most common and accessible, goat's milk provides traditional tangy authentic Mexican flavor profile. Substitute equal quantity of goat's milk for the cow's milk in the cream layer. The slight tanginess of goat's milk balances beautifully with the sweet chocolate and caramel components. Choose based on availability and preference for proper finished traditional Mexican chocoflan variations consistently throughout the year reliably.
Why did my caramel burn? +
Three usual causes: heat too high, cooking too long, or insufficient stirring. Address proper low-medium heat, careful timing (caramel develops color quickly), and constant stirring throughout the entire process for consistently smooth amber results. The combination of patient heat, careful timing, and constant attention produces dramatic caramel-quality reliably across various Mexican-dessert preparation sessions throughout the year for proper traditional results consistently across various celebration occasions reliably across various preparation sessions.
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