Recipe and photo from Laurent Mariotte and Chromostyle
Flan Pâtissier might sound fancy, but at its heart, it’s just a simple custard tart. It’s creamy, rich, and smooth, with a buttery crust that holds everything together. And sure, you could compare it to Portugal’s pasteis de nata or a British custard tart, but I’m going to say it: the French version wins.
The filling is where the magic happens. Full-fat milk, cream, eggs, and a little vanilla make for an ultra-silky custard. You’ll whisk everything together, heat it up until it thickens, and pour it into your tart shell. After a good 50 minutes in the oven, the top gets golden and slightly browned. Once it cools, you’ll want to refrigerate it for at least 6 hours. Yes, it’s a bit of a waiting game, but this is the kind of dessert that gets better with time.
This recipe is straight out of Essentials of French Cuisine, which is packed with approachable French classics. If you’re ready to master French pastry, this book is a game changer.
The sweet tart crust is easy: just butter, sugar, an egg, and flour. Mix it all, chill it, roll it out, and you’re good to go.
Flan Patissier
Equipment
- 1 mould, 22 cm (83/4 in) diameter and 4.5 cm (13/4 in) deep
Ingredients
- 120 g (41/2 oz) butter
- 80 g (23/4 oz) icing (powdered) sugar
- 1 egg
- 250 g (9 oz) flour
- 1 litre (34 fl oz) full-fat milk
- 1 vanilla pod
- 250 g (9 oz) caster (superfine) sugar
- 2 eggs + 4 egg yolks
- 100 g (3 1/2 oz) cornflour (cornstarch)
- 200 ml (7 fl oz) full-fat pouring cream
Instructions
- Mix the butter, diced, and the icing sugar with a wooden spoon. Incorporate the egg, beaten, then add the flour until you have obtained a homogeneous dough. Wrap in cling film (plastic wrap) and keep in a cool place for at least 1 hour.
- Roll out the pastry on a worktop and line a greased mould with it.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- In a large saucepan, bring to the boil the milk with the vanilla pod, split in two and seeds scraped into the pan, as well as 50 g (13/4 oz) of sugar.
- In a large mixing bowl, whip the eggs with the yolks, cornflour and remaining sugar until the mix whitens. Pour the hot milk over it, stirring constantly, followed by the cream.
- Pour everything into a saucepan and put over a low heat, whisking non-stop until the cream thickens and starts to boil. Remove the vanilla pod and allow to cool away from the heat.
- Pour the filling into it the pastry crust and smooth the surface. Bake for 50 minutes: the flan should brown nicely.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool down then refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
Excerpted with permission from Essentials of French Cuisine: Over 80 Simple and Timeless Recipes to Cook at Home by: Laurent Mariotte published by Quadrille, August 2024, RRP $45.00 Hardcover.