Flan is a caramel baked custard topped with caramel, and it’s sometimes made with fruit fillings too. The creamy sweet goodness just melts in your mouth and is sure to make your day a lot sweeter. However, celiacs need to be extra careful when it comes to picking food to avoid gluten allergies. So is flan safe for celiacs? Is flan gluten free?
Flan is generally gluten free, and there are no harmful ingredients like wheat, barley, or similar ingredients to make it unsafe for gluten sensitive people.
But it would be great to know if flan is entirely safe for celiacs since gluten may get added through shared utensils as well. In this article, you’ll find out whether flan is safe for all gluten allergic people and how to find out its gluten status.
Table of Contents
Is Flan Gluten Free?
Flan is gluten free since it is free from all wheat related products. The dessert is made mainly from eggs, milk, sugar, and other flavoring ingredients; hence there are no chances of gluten getting added to it.
Gluten is present in grains like wheat, barley, rye, triticale, semolina, etc. These grains have a stretchy texture which works as a binding ingredient. Gluten is also added sometimes to improve flavor and texture.
While some people eat food with gluten without experiencing any side effects, people with gluten allergies often have to experience headaches, diarrhea, bloating, skin irritation, etc., if they consume gluten. Sometimes gluten may also cause serious health issues like intestinal damage, malnutrition, etc.
If flan is made in shared utensils where gluten foods are processed, the chances of cross-contamination increase. Therefore, if you are ordering flan at an outside eatery, make sure to confirm if they are preparing the dish in separate utensils or not.
While making it at home, don’t use common utensils or measuring cups so that you don’t experience any side effects.
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What Are The Ingredients Used In Gluten Free Flan? What’s The Speciality About It?
The three main ingredients used in flan are- milk, sugar, and eggs. Sometimes cream and condensed milk are also used for better taste and texture.
Making flan is quite easy. The dish takes just about sixty minutes to cook but is sure to satisfy your taste buds. The Spanish dish is prepared by first caramelizing sugar. The eggs and milk are beaten until smooth and poured over the caramel.
The dish is then baked for about an hour to get that perfectly smooth, creamy texture. The best thing about flan is that it takes very minimal ingredients but tastes heavenly. It’s the perfect sweet dish to serve at your family gatherings or during any special occasion.
The simple yet excellent taste of the dish is what makes it so popular for so long.
Is Flan Vegan And Healthy?
One of the most disappointing things for vegan eaters is that they can’t have flan since it’s not vegan. The two most important ingredients of flan are milk and egg, which bring out the actual taste of the dessert.
As vegans don’t consume any animal by-products like eggs, dairy products like cream, milk, cheese, etc., they won’t be able to eat flan.
Another common query among fitness lovers is if flan is healthy. Well, if you want to stay healthy and maintain your shape, you have to avoid sugar and any high calorie food, which is why flan isn’t the healthiest food to include in your diet.
Although the dessert is high in calcium, it’s equally high in sugar and cholesterol too. The caramel topping is entirely made from sugar syrup which is not good for regular consumption. However, enjoying a slice of this milky goodness once in a while won’t harm you. Just don’t make having it an everyday habit.
Check Out This Gluten Free Flan Recipe And Make The Delicious Dessert At Home
I am a big foodie, and cooking is one of my favorite hobbies. I spend quite a lot of time in the kitchen trying my hands at different cuisines, so I tried my hands at making flan as well. The dessert turned out absolutely heavenly, so I thought, why not share the recipe with you all.
Again the best thing about it is it’s a completely gluten free recipe, so you can enjoy it as much as you want. So without further ado, let’s dive in.
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 can of condensed milk
- 1 can of evaporated milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extracts
Method
Step one
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Heat up a pan and pour one cup of sugar, and simultaneously heat a kettle of water for the water bath.
Step two
Keep stirring the sugar until it turns brown and caramelizes completely. But be careful not to burn it; otherwise, it’ll develop a sour taste. While the caramel is getting prepared, keep four to five ramekins ready and pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of the caramel into each ramekin once it gets ready.
Caramel gets hard fast, so it’s essential to be quick in this step. In case the caramel hardens, reheat it.
Step three
Now using either an electric mixer or whisk, start whisking the eggs. When the eggs are beaten well, add condensed milk and evaporated milk and whisk again until you get a very smooth and silky mixture.
Step four
Slowly add the remaining sugar and the vanilla extract to the milk and give it another whisk. Pour this into the caramel filled cups.
Step five
Take a metal or ceramic baking dish with tall sides. Place the cups in the dish and pour boiling water into the baking dish until the water fills at least two inches of the dish.
Step six
Cover the baking tray with foil and bake in the preheated oven for about one hour. After one hour, check the custard by inserting a knife in one of the cups. If the knife comes out clean, it means your flans are ready. If it does not come out clean, bake for another fifteen minutes.
Step seven
Once done, let the flan cool down to room temperature. Then refrigerate it for one hour minimum before serving. While serving, you have to turn the baking cups upside down to keep the caramel side on top.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you found your answer to if flan is gluten free or not here in this guide. Luckily the sweet dish is gluten free, and celiacs can have it without worrying about catching any gluten allergies.
The only thing I would recommend is to make sure it is prepared in separate utensils to keep those annoying gluten allergies at bay. Don’t miss out on the gluten free flan recipe I shared, and enjoy this delicious dessert!
Faqs
What are the ingredients in flan?
The key ingredients in flan are egg, milk, and sugar. But some recipes also use condensed milk or evaporated milk and cheese for an even rich texture.
Is flan dairy free?
No flan isn’t dairy-free. The dish contains a considerable amount of milk or cream, which are dairy products.
Is flan celiac safe?
Yes, flan is celiac safe. There are no gluten inducing ingredients like wheat/ barley in the recipe, so celiacs don’t have to worry about getting sick after drinking it.
Is Mexican flan gluten free?
Yes, Mexican flan is gluten free as well. It uses condensed milk and cheese in addition to normal milk, and these ingredients are completely gluten free.
