At recipe author Lola Dweck's home, Día de los Muertos - a Mexican holiday celebrating deceased loved ones - calls for a delicious and nostalgic sweet treat. Inspired by her father's favorite dessert, this one is an excellent choice for any occasion:

My father loved flan, but as a child I only remember my mother making it from a box. This Day of the Dead I'm honoring my father's memory with his favorite dessert, which also happens to be one of my specialties. This homemade flan is flavored with coffee, another one of my father's faves, and is made in small ramekins, perfect for individual servings.

Flavored with instant espresso, this homemade coffee flan has a light cheesecake-like texture that is both creamy and firm, without the "eggy" flavor that can turn people off. It has subtle coffee notes and the sweet caramel sauce brings all of the flavors together without being overly rich. I love topping my flan with a dollop of whipped cream, tart berries, and coarse turbinado sugar or a homemade crunchy caramel garnish made from the leftover flan caramel.

To make the caramel

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a medium saucepan, prepare caramel by dissolving sugar and water over medium heat. Once sugar comes to a boil, stir it frequently with a wooden spatula until smooth.
3. Once sugar is completely dissolved and turns light amber in color, remove from heat. The sugar has now become caramel and will be extremely hot - DO NOT touch or attempt to taste!
4. Carefully distribute the caramel into each ramekin dish, pouring evenly to coat the bottom of each dish. If desired, repurpose any remaining caramel into a homemade crunchy caramel garnish (see notes).

To make the flan

1. Combine instant coffee with 2 tablespoons of hot water and stir until completely dissolved. Set aside to cool.
2. In a blender, combine evaporated and condensed milks, cream cheese, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt and process until smooth, about 30 seconds.
3. Add eggs and blend another 10 seconds or until just combined.
4. Pour mixture into the ramekins, dividing evenly between each dish.
5. Prepare a baño María (water bath) by arranging your ramekins in a larger oven-proof baking dish. Carefully pour enough hot water into the larger baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the flan ramekins. Cover baking dish with foil and place in the oven.
6. Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until the center of the flan is almost set. It is okay if the flan looks slightly jiggly, not wet, because it will continue to cook as it cools and sets.
7. Remove from the oven and let water cool before removing the flan dishes from the water bath.
8. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve the flan

1. Remove flans from the refrigerator and run a knife carefully around the edges of each ramekin to de-mold.
2. Invert each flan onto a serving plate, allowing the caramel to drizzle down the sides.
3. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream, fresh berries, and coarse turbinado sugar if desired. Top with pieces of crunchy caramel topping and enjoy!

Nellie's Notes

To make the crunchy caramel garnish: have a lined baking sheet ready as you prepare the caramel. Working quickly and while the caramel is still hot, drizzle any leftover sauce onto your lined baking sheet. Let rest until the caramel is hard and breaks easily into smaller pieces.

This recipe uses 4-ounce ramekins to create 14 single-serve flan desserts. To make a larger flan that can be sliced and served as a stunning centerpiece: prepare the recipe above as written, using an 8-inch pan in place of the ramekins and baking for 45-60 minutes or until the center of flan is slightly set.