This traditional Brazilian dessert is a type of creamy, caramel-coated custard flan. Although there are as many variations on the dessert as there are families in Brazil (and throughout Latin America), the standard ingredients of pudim de leite condensado include sweetened condensed milk, regular whole milk, eggs, and sugar.

To make the custard, the condensed milk mixture is typically poured into round molds or cake pans that have been coated with a simple caramel sauce, before it is baked in a water bath until it’s become firm and set. According to popular belief, this simple dessert is thought to have evolved from an old Portuguese dish known as pudim de priscos, an invention that has been attributed to a certain Portuguese priest named Manuel Joaquim Machado, also known as Father Priscos.

Earlier versions of pudim de leite condensado used whole milk instead of condensed milk, which made the entire process of making the dessert much more complicated and time-consuming. The present version of the pudding was born after condensed milk was introduced in the country, back in the early 19th century.

This silky custard flan is usually enjoyed chilled and cut into wedges, and it is commonly served plain. Typical accompaniments to this dessert include whipped cream, berries, and fruit.