Recipe: Chocoflan by Marcela Valladolid (2024)

FAQs

Why did my chocoflan fall apart? ›

Chocoflan FAQ's

The main reason your Chocoflan fell apart was that you probably didn't let it cool long enough. Don't worry that it won't come out of the pan—it will.

Chocoflan baking temperature

Getting the magic flip to happen is dependent on temperature. If the oven is too cool, the leavening agents won't react well enough before the starches gelatinize. The result is a dense cake that won't be light enough to rise up through the flan batter.

Once the chocoflan is cool, you need to refrigerate it to set the flan even more. Tightly cover the top of the bundt pan in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight. At this point, you can refrigerate the chocoflan for up to 3 days before turning out and serving.

Place cake pan in large roasting pan; add 1 inch of hot water to roasting pan. Bake 1 hour 20 minutes to ensure cake AND flan layer bake completely (toothpick inserted in center of cake will come out clean).

Cool fully in the refrigerator at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. When ready to serve, run a paring knife or offset spatula along the edge to loosen the flan from the dish and flip over onto a rimmed plate to catch the caramel sauce.

It's been called “The Impossible Chocolate Cake” and “Magic Mexican Chocolate Flan Cake,” but I prefer calling it “Chocoflan!” Chocoflan is a combination of chocolate cake on the bottom with a luscious flan on top.

Remove the bundt cake pan from the water bath and place on a cooling rack. Let the cake cool for 2 hours until very cool. At this time, you can place in the refrigerator overnight, or flip onto a plate.

It's safest to unmold the chocoflan after it has chilled long enough to firm it, so I recommend refrigerating it for several hours or overnight.

It's always the simple things in life that are the most difficult to master. With flan the key to a smooth texture is the cooking temperature. Cooked for too long or cooked at too high of a temperature and the custard will have a slightly pock-y curdled texture.

You'll want to check the appearance and smell of the flan. If there's mold growth, visible discolorations or a foul smell, it's likely gone bad. Additionally, if the texture becomes too watery or grainy, it might be an indication that the flan has been overly exposed to air or has been stored too long.

Is flan Spanish or Mexican? ›

The flan's history is traced back to ancient Rome when egg surpluses were transformed into custards to produce both sweet and savory tastes. The Spaniards took it to America, where it became a delicacy. Due to the Mexican's heavy influence on the recipe evolved there and became today's sweet staple.

The 'best-by' date is a guideline for peak quality, not safety. Flan may be safe to eat a few days past this date if stored properly and shows no signs of spoilage. However, it's better to err on caution and discard it if unsure.

Remove from oven and place in the fridge overnight to chill. -Before serving, run a knife around the edges of the flan if necessary. It should move freely within the pan. Flip, slice and serve.

Unmold and Serve. Unmold Flan: After the flan has been refrigerated for at least 3 hours (overnight is best), run a knife along the sides of the pan, separating the flan from the edges of the pan. Use a plate to carefully flip the flan over and expose the beautiful caramel covered dessert. Serve and enjoy!

The center should be almost set, but will still be a little bit jiggly. (Do not overcook – otherwise your flan will have “bubbles” on the side and will have a curdled texture to it.) 9. Remove the roasting pan from the oven, and allow the ramekins to continue sitting immersed in the hot water for another 10 minutes.

The cake was under-baked: The cake will be very moist and difficult to handle. With the whipped cream it may have too much moisture and will fall apart easily. The cake was over-baked: If over-baked the cake will be a lot drier and more prone to cracks. A crack in your roll can cause the swiss roll to fall apart.

The oven temperature is too high. If the top crust forms and sets before the cake has finished rising, the middle will try to push through the crust as it continues to bake, causing it to crack and possibly dome. Check your oven with an oven thermometer and reduce the temperature accordingly if it is running hot.

Don't over-bake – Overcooked flan can turn rubbery and will be more likely to crack. Remove it from the oven when it still has a slight jiggle in the center.

(Do not overcook – otherwise your flan will have “bubbles” on the side and will have a curdled texture to it.)