Description
Silky smooth instant pot kabocha flan brings Japanese pumpkin magic to classic custard desserts. Creamy caramel-kissed sweetness melts on your palate, delivering a delightful fusion of traditional techniques with modern pressure cooking convenience.
Ingredients
Scale
main ingredients:
- 1 medium kabocha squash
- 4 large eggs
- 1 can (14 oz / 400 ml) sweetened condensed milk
complementary ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
finishing ingredients:
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter (for greasing)
Instructions
- Slice the kabocha squash in half, scoop out seeds, and steam in Instant Pot for 10 minutes until tender. Cool and scoop out flesh.
- Purée the cooked kabocha in a blender until smooth and creamy.
- Caramelize sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until golden brown, swirling pan carefully to prevent burning.
- Pour caramel into a greased 6-inch flan mold, tilting to coat bottom and sides evenly.
- Whisk eggs in a large mixing bowl until well combined.
- Add sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, kabocha purée, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt to eggs. Blend until completely smooth and uniform.
- Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to ensure silky texture.
- Gently pour the mixture into caramel-lined mold.
- Cover mold with aluminum foil to prevent moisture accumulation.
- Place trivet in Instant Pot, add 1 cup water, and carefully lower mold onto trivet.
- Pressure cook at high setting for 15 minutes, then allow natural release for 10 minutes.
- Remove flan and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set completely.
- Invert onto serving plate, allowing caramel to drizzle over flan before serving.
Notes
- Enhance the squash’s sweetness by roasting it before puréeing, which concentrates its natural sugars and deepens the flavor profile.
- Strain the custard mixture twice for an ultra-smooth, velvety texture that melts perfectly in your mouth.
- Experiment with alternative milks like coconut or almond for a dairy-free version that keeps the creamy consistency.
- Control caramel color by watching closely during cooking – golden brown means rich flavor, dark amber means deeper caramel notes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Steaming
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 295
- Sugar: 27 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 186 mg