Custard has a long documented history, but crème caramel or flan in its modern form, with soft caramel on top, and prepared and cooked using a bain-marie, is first documented in La cuisinière provençale by Jean Baptiste Reboul published in 1897.

The food historian Alan Davidson speculates that this may have been because the dish could be prepared in bulk, in advance.

The names crème (caramel) renversée (French) and crema volteada (Spanish) allude to the custard being turned over to be served.

Larger dishes also require more care to avoid undercooking the interior or overcooking the exterior.

An imitation of crème caramel may be prepared from "instant flan powder", which is thickened with agar or carrageenan rather than eggs.

In Argentina and Uruguay, crème caramel is usually eaten with dulce de leche, whipped cream, or both (flan mixto).

Pudim can have variations of flavor, such as chocolate, coconut, paçoca (peanut candy), cheese, and others, condensed milk pudding being a base recipe.

A similar Cuban dish is Copa Lolita, a small caramel flan served with one or two scoops of vanilla ice cream.

It is a staple on restaurant menus in the beach resorts along India's coasts and also prepared regularly in the home kitchens of the Anglo-Indian Goan, Malayali, Mangalorean and Parsi communities.

First introduced by the Portuguese in the 16th century and sold year-round today, this dessert is popular served in restaurants, cafes, hotels, and even Ramadan bazaars for breaking the fast.

Crème caramel is extremely popular in Mexico, being made at home, found pre-made at grocery stores, served in restaurants, and even sold on the streets.

A variation of the dish called Flan Napolitano is made in some parts of Mexico where cream cheese is added to create a creamier consistency, though it is not as popular or widespread.

Leche flan is usually steamed over an open flame or stove top in an oval-shaped tin mold known as llanera (also spelled lyanera, which is also used to make hardinera), although rarely it can also be cooked in an oven.

Variations include orange or lemon zest, cinnamon, pineapple, Port wine, or even bacon, as is the case with Pudim Abade de Priscos.

[20] In Spain, crème caramel is a typical dessert that is often homemade and is also sold in grocery stores and restaurants with many variations.