---
title: "Chilean Crème Caramel — Homemade Crema Volteada Recipe"
description: "Versión en Español. Chilean crème caramel, or crema volteada, is a dessert of milk, eggs and sugar baked in a water bath over a layer of caramel. Once chilled, it is unmolded by flipping it onto a pla..."
url: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-creme-caramel-crema-volteada-recipe/
date: 2026-10-10
modified: 2026-10-10
author: "Carlos Uhart M."
image: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/chilean-creme-caramel-crema-volteada-featured.jpg
categories: ["Desserts"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# Chilean Crème Caramel — Homemade Crema Volteada Recipe

[Versión en Español](https://comidaschilenas.com/receta-de-crema-volteada/)

![Homemade Chilean crema volteada unmolded with caramel sauce](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/chilean-creme-caramel-crema-volteada-featured.jpg)*Crema volteada (photo BokuAlec, CC BY-SA 3.0)*

Chilean crème caramel, or crema volteada, is a dessert of milk, eggs and sugar baked in a water bath over a layer of caramel. Once chilled, it is unmolded by flipping it onto a plate, covered in its own liquid caramel. It takes 20 minutes of prep and 1 hour and 10 minutes of cooking for 8 servings, plus at least 4 hours in the refrigerator.

Crema volteada is one of the most frequently made homemade desserts in Chile, served at Sunday lunches, birthdays and family celebrations. It uses ingredients that are almost always in the pantry and is made ahead, which makes it practical for having guests over. It is often confused with leche asada, Chilean baked milk custard, although the two desserts are cooked and served differently.

Contents

- [1. How to Make Crème Caramel?](#How_to_Make_Creme_Caramel)
- [2. Nutritional Information](#Nutritional_Information)
- [3. Homemade Crème Caramel Recipe](#Homemade_Creme_Caramel_Recipe)
  - [3.1. Ingredients](#Ingredients)
  - [3.2. Instructions](#Instructions)
- [4. Additional Tips](#Additional_Tips)
  - [4.1. How Is It Different from Leche Asada?](#How_Is_It_Different_from_Leche_Asada)
  - [4.2. How to Make Caramel That Is Not Bitter](#How_to_Make_Caramel_That_Is_Not_Bitter)
  - [4.3. Why Strain the Mixture and Cover the Mold?](#Why_Strain_the_Mixture_and_Cover_the_Mold)
- [5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)](#Frequently_Asked_Questions_FAQs)
  - [5.1. 1. Are Crema Volteada and Flan the Same?](#1_Are_Crema_Volteada_and_Flan_the_Same)
  - [5.2. 2. Can You Make Crema Volteada Without an Oven?](#2_Can_You_Make_Crema_Volteada_Without_an_Oven)
  - [5.3. 3. How Many Days Does Crema Volteada Keep in the Refrigerator?](#3_How_Many_Days_Does_Crema_Volteada_Keep_in_the_Refrigerator)
  - [5.4. 4. Can You Make Crema Volteada with Condensed Milk?](#4_Can_You_Make_Crema_Volteada_with_Condensed_Milk)
- [6. What Is Crème Caramel?](#What_Is_Creme_Caramel)
- [7. History of Crème Caramel in Chile](#History_of_Creme_Caramel_in_Chile)
- [8. Did You Know?](#Did_You_Know)
- [9. Recommended](#Recommended)

## How to Make Crème Caramel?

The key technique is the water bath, which keeps the custard at a gentle, even temperature so the eggs set without boiling. That gives a smooth texture with no holes. The caramel is made in the same mold and, after resting in the cold, turns into a liquid caramel that covers the dessert when it is unmolded. Beyond the cooking time, it needs at least 4 hours of refrigeration.

## Nutritional Information

Each serving of Chilean crema volteada (one 180 g / 6.3 oz serving) contains approximately 280 kcal, 9 g of protein, 8 g of total fat (4 g of saturated fat), 150 mg of cholesterol, 44 g of carbohydrates, 43 g of sugars and 110 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.

## Homemade Crème Caramel Recipe

**Preparation:** 20 minutes
**Cooking:** 1 hour 10 minutes
**Servings:** 8 servings

### Ingredients

- 150 g (¾ cup) sugar for the caramel
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 liter (4¼ cups) whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 eggs
- 150 g (¾ cup) sugar for the custard
- Hot water for the water bath

### Instructions

1. Put the 150 g of sugar for the caramel and the 3 tablespoons of water in a 22 cm (9 inch) metal flan mold. Cook over medium heat without stirring, only swirling the mold, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the caramel turns amber. Remove from the heat and tilt the mold, holding it with a towel, to coat the bottom and part of the sides. Let it harden and preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F).

![Amber sugar caramel for the base of Chilean crema volteada](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/amber-caramel-for-chilean-crema-volteada.jpg)*Amber caramel*

1. Heat the liter of milk with the vanilla until warm, without letting it boil. In a separate bowl, whisk the 6 eggs with the 150 g of sugar for the custard using a hand whisk, just until combined and without making foam. Pour in the warm milk in a thin stream, stirring constantly so the eggs do not cook.

![Eggs whisked without foam for homemade Chilean crema volteada](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/whisked-eggs-for-crema-volteada.jpg)*Eggs whisked without foam*

1. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve to remove the chalazae and the foam, and pour it gently over the hardened caramel. Cover the mold with aluminum foil, which keeps the surface from browning and forming a crust. Set the mold inside a larger, deeper baking dish.

![Warming milk for Chilean crème caramel](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/warming-milk-for-chilean-creme-caramel.jpg)*Warm milk, never boiling*

1. Put the baking dish in the oven and fill it with hot water halfway up the sides of the mold. Bake in the water bath for 60 minutes, making sure the water never boils. The crema volteada is ready when the center jiggles slightly as you move the mold and a knife inserted halfway between the edge and the center comes out clean.

![Mold in a water bath to bake Chilean crema volteada in the oven](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/water-bath-for-baking-crema-volteada.jpg)*Baking in a water bath*

1. Take the mold out of the water, let it cool to room temperature and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. To unmold, run a thin knife all around the edge, place a rimmed plate over the mold and flip it in one firm motion. Wait a few seconds for the liquid caramel to run down and cover the custard.

## Additional Tips

### How Is It Different from Leche Asada?

Both desserts use milk, eggs and sugar, but the method and the way they are served change. Leche asada is baked uncovered in a dish at a higher temperature, so the surface turns golden with toasted spots, and it is served in the same dish or in ramekins, usually without caramel. Crema volteada is baked covered in a water bath over a layer of caramel, stays pale and is unmolded by flipping it onto a plate.

### How to Make Caramel That Is Not Bitter

Cook the sugar over medium heat and take it off as soon as it reaches a golden amber color, similar to dark honey. The caramel keeps darkening for a few seconds from the heat of the mold, so remove it slightly before the shade you want. If it turns dark brown and smokes, it is burnt and will make the dessert bitter. In that case, dissolve it with hot water, wash the mold and start again.

### Why Strain the Mixture and Cover the Mold?

Straining removes the chalazae, the white strands attached to the yolk, along with the foam that forms when whisking. Both leave marks and bubbles on the face of the custard that shows after unmolding. Covering with aluminum foil keeps the top from drying out or browning in the oven, so the base of the crema volteada comes out smooth and the same color as the rest.

These are the most common mistakes when making crema volteada at home and how to fix them.

| Problem | Likely cause | Solution |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Holes or porous texture | Oven too hot or boiling water in the bath | Bake between 150°C and 160°C (302°F and 320°F) and use hot water that never boils |
| Bubbles on the visible face | Mixture overwhisked or not strained | Whisk just until combined and pass the mixture through a fine sieve |
| Bitter caramel | Sugar cooked to dark brown | Remove from the heat as soon as it turns golden amber |
| Breaks when unmolded | Too little chilling time or undercooked | Refrigerate at least 4 hours and check doneness with a knife |
| Caramel stuck to the bottom | A thin layer always sticks to the mold | Set the mold in hot water for a few minutes before flipping |

## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

### 1. Are Crema Volteada and Flan the Same?

They are very similar. In Chile, crema volteada is the homemade version made with milk, eggs and sugar over caramel and unmolded onto a plate, the equivalent of egg flan or French crème caramel. The word flan is also used for desserts made from commercial powder mixes, which set with starch instead of egg.

### 2. Can You Make Crema Volteada Without an Oven?

Yes. You can cook it in a large covered pot, setting the covered mold on a folded towel with hot water halfway up its sides. Keep it over low heat, with the water barely trembling, for about 45 minutes. The time varies with the pot and the burner, so check doneness with a knife.

### 3. How Many Days Does Crema Volteada Keep in the Refrigerator?

Well covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated, crema volteada stays in good condition for 3 to 4 days. Because it contains eggs and milk, it should not sit out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours. Freezing is not recommended, because once thawed the texture turns watery and grainy.

### 4. Can You Make Crema Volteada with Condensed Milk?

Yes, it is a very common variation. Replace the 150 g of sugar in the custard with one 397 g (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk and reduce the milk to 750 ml, keeping the 6 eggs. The result is denser and sweeter, similar to a flan napolitano. The caramel and the water bath are done the same way.

## What Is Crème Caramel?

Crema volteada, literally turned-over custard, is the Chilean version of crème caramel, a custard of whole milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla baked covered in a water bath over a layer of caramel. After chilling, it is flipped onto a plate so the caramel, now liquid, runs over the top. It has a smooth, firm, pale texture and is served cold in slices, on its own or with whipped cream.

## History of Crème Caramel in Chile

Crema volteada belongs to the family of baked milk and egg custards with caramel, such as French crème caramel and Spanish flan. It arrived in Chile with the European pastry tradition and settled in as a homemade dessert, prepared in a flan mold and unmolded at the table.

Its name describes the final gesture of the recipe, turning the mold over onto a plate so the caramel ends up on top. Over the years it became a classic of family lunches and of Chilean home cookbooks.

## Did You Know?

The caramel that hardens in the bottom of the mold turns liquid again after baking and resting in the cold. Moisture from the custard dissolves part of the sugar, which is why an amber sauce appears when you flip the dessert, without making it separately. A thin layer of caramel usually stays stuck to the mold, which is completely normal.

## Recommended

- [Chilean manjar flan, a dulce de leche custard with caramel](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-manjar-flan-dulce-de-leche-flan-recipe/)
- [Chilean blackberry flan baked in a water bath](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-blackberry-flan-recipe/)
- [Homemade liquid caramel for flan and desserts](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/homemade-liquid-caramel-for-flan-caramelo-liquido-recipe/)
- [Chilean leche asada, the traditional baked milk custard](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/baked-milk-leche-asada-recipe/)