Choose the freshest eggs possible, as older eggs will affect the firmness of the flan. I use white condensed milk for this recipe. If you use a different type, be mindful of the sweetness. Avoid using the Dutch Lady brand with the yellow label, as it's very sweet and hard to adjust.

First, pour all the condensed milk into a bowl.

Use the same milk can as a measuring tool. Measure 2 cans of unsweetened milk or 2 cans of water and mix with the condensed milk (use milk for a richer flan, or water if you prefer it lighter).

Add 1 tablespoon of sugar. The milk is already sweet, but you'll need extra sugar because you'll be adding eggs later.

Using the same milk can as a measuring tool, crack eggs into the can until it's full, then pour the eggs into a bowl. Add 3-4 more egg yolks to the mixture (depending on the size of the eggs). Beat the eggs until well mixed, but don't overbeat, as this will cause bubbles when steaming. Strain the eggs to make them smooth and remove any unmixed parts.

Pour the eggs into the milk mixture and stir well to combine.

Now, make the caramel. Put 3 tablespoons of sugar in a pan, add 1 tablespoon of water, and heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Continue heating until the sugar turns a caramel color, then turn off the heat and add 1 tablespoon of water, mixing well to make the caramel.

Let the caramel cool slightly, then pour it into the molds, spreading it evenly on the bottom.

Pour the egg and milk mixture into the molds, dividing it evenly among 16-18 molds.

Place the molds in a steamer over boiling water and steam on medium heat for 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the flan. Insert a toothpick into the flan; if it stands upright without leaning, the flan is done. Let the flan cool completely before covering. Note: Every 5 minutes, open the steamer lid and wipe off the condensation to prevent the flan from having a pitted surface. Steam on medium heat to avoid puffing.

The finished flan should be evenly cooked, not puffed, with a smooth surface and no small bubbles around the edges.

Store the flan in the refrigerator to enjoy later. This recipe yields flan with good elasticity, not too soft or too firm, so you can enjoy it 'classic' style with coffee and ice, or use it as a topping for bubble tea, mixed flan, or flan jelly.

I saw that Quynh Nguyen shared a photo of making flan in yogurt jars, so I tried making a batch in yogurt jars too. However, I found that eating it this way isn't as enjoyable because you can't have it with ice and coffee, which makes it a bit bland.