In a heavy-bottomed pot, add 1 cup of sugar, and cook on medium-low heat until sugar is completely melted and a deep golden brown. Pick up the pan and swirl it around to ensure the sugar is evenly melted.
Once the sugar is melted, immediately pour into a 9-inch cake plate, pie plate, or flan pan. Swirl around until evenly coated. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl or blender, combine the filling ingredients. Whip until creamy. Pour into the baking pan.
Place the pan on a larger baking sheet or roasting pan. Place in oven and carefully add hot water to reach at least 1-2 inches on the sides.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Carefully remove flan from oven, leaving behind larger pan filled water. Once flan is removed, carefully remove the pan of hot water. Place flan back inside roasting pan, filled with water, to slowly cool for 30 minutes.
Place flan in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours, overnight is ideal.
When ready to serve, take a knife and run along sides of the pan. Take a cake plate or serving platter and place it on top of the pan. Flip it over and the flan with release so the caramel is now on the top. The caramel will slowly drip off of the pan so make sure you get all of the caramel.