Place the brown sugar in a large baking pan over low heat. Watch carefully and stir with a spoon until it melts and turns into caramel. Don’t let it burn. Use enough sugar to cover the bottom and sides of the pan with caramel, adding more if needed. Once caramelized, carefully tilt the pan to coat the sides with the caramel. Let it cool and harden.

Blend the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, and cream cheese until smooth. Pour the mixture into the pan over the cooled caramel.

Set the caramel pan inside a larger pan for a water bath (bain-marie). Pour hot water into the larger pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the flan pan. Place on the stovetop over high heat.

Cover the flan pan carefully with aluminum foil. Every 5 to 10 minutes, check to make sure there’s still enough water in the water bath. Add more hot water if needed to keep it halfway up the sides. If you have a large lid, you can cover the pan to speed up cooking, but aluminum foil alone is fine.

Cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, checking the water level as it cooks. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick or knife into the center; if it comes out clean, the flan is ready. Let it cool for several hours or overnight. To unmold, gently loosen the edges of the flan from the pan, place a large serving plate on top, and carefully invert. Refrigerate before serving.