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Quesillo (Venezuelan Flan)

Venezuela's caramel custard, made with condensed milk and whole eggs, with its signature tiny holes.

By Wanda Oyola 1 h 35 min Easy

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Recipe in testing: I'm cooking it in my TM7™ and will update the steps and the photo with my own.

A ring-shaped quesillo glazed with amber caramel, with a slice on a plate showing its tiny holes.

Quesillo is Venezuela's flan, and the dessert at birthdays, Sunday lunches and every family party. Its name means little cheese, although there is no cheese in it: the name comes from its texture, full of tiny holes, like a fresh cheese. Condensed milk, milk and whole eggs bake over an amber caramel until set, firm enough to slice and soft enough to melt in your mouth.

The Thermomix® TM7™ blends the custard in thirty seconds. Unlike a silky flan, here you do not strain it or skim off the foam, because those little air bubbles are what give quesillo its holes. The caramel is made in a saucepan on the stove and the quesillo bakes slowly in the oven in a water bath.

Made in the Thermomix® TM7™

Quesillo (Venezuelan Flan)

Makes: One 20 cm (8 in) quesillo

  • Prep15 min
  • Cook1 h 20 min
  • Total1 h 35 min
  • Serves8

Ingredients

For the caramel

For the custard

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Set out a 20 cm (8 in) ring mold or quesillera, about 1.5 L (6 cups), or a round cake pan 5 cm (2 in) deep, plus a larger roasting pan for the water bath.
  2. In a small saucepan on the stove over medium heat, cook the sugar and water without stirring, swirling the pan now and then, 8 to 10 minutes, until the syrup turns deep amber. Pour it right away into the mold and tilt to coat the bottom and a little of the sides. Be careful: the caramel is very hot.
  3. Place the condensed milk, milk, eggs and vanilla in the mixing bowl and blend 30 sec/speed 5. Do not strain or skim the foam: the bubbles create the little holes.
  4. Pour the custard over the hardened caramel and cover the mold tightly with aluminum foil, or with its lid if it has one.
  5. Set the mold inside the roasting pan, place both in the oven and pour hot water into the roasting pan until it comes 2.5 cm (1 in) up the sides of the mold. Bake 60 to 70 minutes, until the quesillo is set and a knife inserted halfway between the edge and the center comes out clean.
  6. Lift the mold out of the water bath, let it cool on a rack for 1 hour, then refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
  7. To serve, run a thin knife around the edges, place a rimmed platter on top and turn it over in one quick motion. Let the caramel run down the sides, then slice.

Tips

  • Many Venezuelan homes cook quesillo on the stove: set the covered quesillera in a pot of simmering water, cover the pot and cook about 1 hour, checking it the same way.
  • Prefer a smoother quesillo with fewer holes? Blend 15 sec/speed 3 instead, let the custard rest 10 minutes and skim off the foam before pouring.
  • Covered, quesillo keeps up to 4 days in the fridge.

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