Parisian Flan

The flan is a very popular pastry, found as much in bakeries as in French households: the flan tart.

The flan is the cake of the moment!

Simple and accessible, this tart filled with set cream, melting and fragrant, was born in the Middle Ages in bread ovens. Yet the flan is imposing itself as the new pastry trend.

Sweet shortcrust pastry filled with vanilla cream: “Parisian Flan” For 8 people | Preparation time: 45 minutes | Cooling time: 2 hours | Cooking time: 45 minutes

Equipment:

Spatula

Whisk

Saucepan

Rolling pin

Parchment paper

Pie cutter / 8’’ mold

The sweet shortcrust pastry:

200 grams (1 2/3 cup) of all-purpose flour

100 grams (1/4 + 1/6 cup) of unsalted butter at 80% fat

100 grams (3/4 cup) of icing sugar

1 egg

1 pinch of salt

Butter for the mold

The vanilla pastry cream:

· 250 grams (1 1/4 cup) of granulated sugar.

· 100 grams (3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) of cornstarch

· 8 egg yolks = 160 grams (8 units)

· 1 vanilla pod

· 850 ml of 2% fat milk (29 oz)

· 150 ml of heavy cream (5 oz)

Prepare the sweet shortcrust pastry:

· Mix the butter.

· Add the powdered sugar.

· Add the egg.

· Add the flour.

· Cut the mixture using your dough scraper.

· Transfer the dough onto parchment paper.

· Proceed to milling. Push the dough with your hand to ensure it is well mixed. Repeat a maximum of 2 times.

· Cover with another parchment paper and roll until it is 4 mm (1/8 in) thick. Place in the refrigerator for one hour (up to 24 hours)

· Butter the mold

· Cut the dough and place it in the cookie cutter.

· Keep in the refrigerator for 1 hour (up to 24 hours)

· Preheat the oven to 355 degrees Fahrenheit /(180 degrees Celsius

Prepare the vanilla cream:

· Heat your milk, heavy cream, split and scraped vanilla pod in a saucepan over medium heat.

· Whisk together the yolks and sugar until the mixture whitens.

· Add the cornstarch and whisk again.

· Dilute this mixture with 1/3 of the hot milk/cream

· Put the mixture back in the saucepan with the milk and stir until the mixture thickens, whisking constantly.

· When small bubbles appear, continue stirring for 1 minute (pasteurization)

· Remove from heat.

Assembly:

· Immediately pour your hot cream into the sweet shortcrust pastry:

· Bake for 40 minutes

· Let cool for at least 3 hours.