Flan holds a special place in Argentina’s dessert culture, and Augusto “Aspi” Mayer’s dulce de leche version became a Buenos Aires reference point. Rich, creamy and velvety, it is fully set around the edges but retains a slight ripple at the center. A fine-mesh sieve helps keep the custard smooth, while the light, pourable caramel pools around the flan rather than forming a hard shell.

Serving: Makes approximately 25 individual flans, each weighing about 120 grams.

*Note: Individual molds are recommended for the best texture and easiest unmolding. The flan may also be prepared in one large 27 cm mold; allow approximately 1½ to 2 hours of cooking time. The texture may need to be slightly firmer than that of the individual flans so that it holds its shape when unmolded.

For the flan

1 liter milk
600 grams heavy cream
10 egg yolks
8 whole eggs
250 grams sugar
1.4 kilograms dulce de leche

For the caramel

300 grams sugar
240 milliliters water

Step One

Make the caramel. Place half of the sugar in a small, deep saucepan and melt it over medium heat without adding water. Add the remaining sugar and continue cooking until it has melted and turned a light caramel color. Stir gently with a wooden spoon.

Step Two

Remove the saucepan from the heat and carefully add half of the water. The mixture will release a large amount of hot steam, so pour slowly and keep your hands and face away from the pan. Return the caramel to the heat and gradually add the remaining water, stirring gently with a wooden spoon.

Step Three

Continue cooking until the caramel is smooth and pourable. Divide it among the molds, coating the bottoms evenly. A traditional dry caramel may be used instead, though the finished flans will have less liquid caramel around them.

Step Four

Preheat the oven to 120°C / 250°F. Bring enough water to a boil for the water bath.

Step Five

Make the custard. Heat the milk and cream together in a saucepan until the mixture just begins to boil. Do not allow it to reduce.

Step Six

In a large bowl, mix the dulce de leche with the egg yolks until well combined. Add the sugar and mix again, then incorporate the whole eggs.

Step Seven

Slowly pour the warm milk and cream into the dulce de leche mixture, stirring until smooth. Pass the custard through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any lumps and give the finished flans a smooth texture.

Step Eight

Pour the warm custard into the prepared molds. Arrange the molds in a deep baking dish, then add enough boiling water to reach partway up their sides.*

Step Nine

Bake for approximately 50 minutes, depending on the size of the molds. Note: The oven should be fully preheated, the water bath should be boiling and the custard should still be warm when the flans go into the oven.

Step Ten

Check for doneness with a wooden skewer. Inserted near the edge, it should come out dry; inserted into the center, it should emerge slightly damp. When the mold is moved gently, the flan should be set around the edges and form a small ripple in the center, but the center should still be set rather than liquid.