Parisian Flan

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Flan, a delicious and classic dessert with a rich history in French pastry-making, is a true delight for the senses. This exquisite baked custard has been enjoyed for centuries, with its origins dating back to the renowned French chef Antoine Carême, who first mentioned the Parisian flan in his book Le Pâtissier royal parisien in 1815.

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Most known pastry

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Crust or no Crust

Crustless Flan: This is a creamy custard dessert that is baked directly in a pan. The most important steps are properly preparing the pan so it doesn't stick, and allowing it to chill completely so it sets firmly enough to be removed from the mold.
Flan with a Crust: The crust should be pre-baked (unless using a powerful prograde deck oven) before the custard is added to prevent it from becoming soggy. The text gives a historical example of a very thin, practical crust.

Crust

Roll out pastry into a 2mm thin sheet. Prick pastry and lay onto the greased pan and shape like a pie. Refrigerate 20 minutes to rest. Re-roll pastry and trim off excess dough. Freeze prepared pastry until ready to use it.

Custard

In the saucepan, heat milk, cream and vanilla. Turn off the heat, cover and let infuse. Meanwhile, in the bowl whip the eggs with sugar and add starch. Bring liquid to a quick boil, and gradually pour it into the egg-sugar mixture while whisking. Bring mixture back to the saucepan and return to the stove. Bring to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes whisking swiftly.
Remove custard from the heat, and smooth it out using an immersion blender.
Fill prepared pan. Let cool to room temperature before baking.

Baking

Preheat fan oven to 375ºF/190ºC. Bake flan for 45-50minutes. Refrigerate flan overnight before cutting into desired portions.

Storage

Keep flan refrigerated for up to 3 days. Avoid freezing temperature.

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