Yerba Mate Dulce de Leche Flan
A silky flan infused with yerba mate and swirled with dulce de leche—Argentina's two obsessions united in one irresistible dessert.
This flan takes two pillars of Argentine culture—yerba mate and dulce de leche—and weaves them into a creamy, caramel-laced custard. The mate's grassy bitterness cuts through the sweetness, creating a dessert that's rich but never cloying.
Steeping the yerba mate in warm milk extracts its earthy, vegetal flavor without bitterness. The key is using whole milk and straining well—you want the flavor, not the texture of loose leaves.
Dulce de leche goes into both the caramel layer on the bottom and as a ribbon swirled through the custard itself. When unmolded, the flan reveals gorgeous caramel streaks against the pale green-tinged custard.
Chill the flan overnight for the best texture and flavor development. Serve it unmolded on a plate with a generous pool of the caramel sauce—every spoonful should get a bit of everything.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 3 tbsp loose yerba mate
- 4 large eggs
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup dulce de leche
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sugar (for caramel)
- 2 tbsp water (for caramel)
How to make it
- 1Heat milk until just simmering. Add yerba mate, cover, and steep 15 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing leaves. Discard leaves.
- 2Make caramel: heat 1/2 cup sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat without stirring until deep amber. Pour into a 1-liter mold, swirling to coat bottom.
- 3Whisk eggs and 1/3 cup sugar until smooth. Slowly whisk in the mate-infused milk and vanilla.
- 4Drop spoonfuls of dulce de leche into the caramel-lined mold. Pour custard over the top. Use a knife to gently swirl the dulce de leche through the custard.
- 5Place mold in a water bath (bain-marie). Bake at 160°C for 50–60 minutes until set but still slightly wobbly in the center.
- 6Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 6 hours (overnight is best). To serve, run a knife around the edge and invert onto a plate.
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