Parisian Flan (French Custard Pie)

Name: Parisian Flan (French Custard Pie)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 10 to 12 servings
Ingredients: milk; sugar; vanilla bean; cornstarch; 35% cream; egg yolks; egg; unbleached all-purpose flour; sugar; salt; unsalted butter; milk; yolk

5 stars (29) Rate this recipe

Preparation: 30 MIN
Cooking: 55 MIN
Refrigerate: 6 H
Freezing: 15 MIN
Output: 10 to 12 servings

Ingredients
Preparation

Nutrition Facts

For 1/12 of the recipe

Teneur	% valeur quotidienne
Calories 380
Total Fat 22.7 g
Saturated Fat 13 g
Sodium (salt) 90 mg
Carbohydrates 38 g
Fibre 0 g
Protein 7 g

About nutrition facts

Preparation

Flan

In a saucepan, bring milk, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds to a boil. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 10 minutes.
In a bowl, dissolve cornstarch in cream with a whisk. Add egg yolks and whole egg. Slowly incorporate into infused milk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, taking care to scrape the bottom of the pan, until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and strain. Cover with plastic wrap directly on cream and let cool in the refrigerator or over an ice water bath. Set aside.

Crust

In a food processor, combine flour, sugar and salt. Add butter and pulse a few seconds at a time until it is the size of peas. Add milk and egg yolk and pulse until a ball begins to form. Shape into a disc with your hands.
On a floured work surface, roll out pastry and line a 20 cm (8 inch) in diameter and 6-cm (2 ½-inch) deep springform pan. Press firmly. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes or 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
With the rack in the lowest position, preheat the oven to 200 °C (400 °F).
Pour cooled custard into crust. Cut off excess dough to ½ cm (¼ inch) of the custard level. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 40 to 45 minutes or until custard is only slightly wobbly. Set the oven to broil and caramelize for about 5 minutes or until surface of custard is partially burnt. Remove from oven. Let cool and refrigerate for 6 hours. Unmould.

Note

Keep flan in the refrigerator, but let it temper before serving.

Comments

Franken B.

5 stars March 13th, 2018

This is a fantastic recipe! Easy to follow instructions that make something truely delicious. Sharon D, you overlooked the custard; You are supposed to stop cooking the custard when it coats the back of a spoon, not cook it all the way. If it starts to boil, you have gone way too far.
Donna M.

5 stars December 31st, 2017

Exactly what I eat in Paris. Absolutely delicious and foolproof to make.
judith F.

5 stars October 9th, 2016

I made this flan yesterday and also thought that 6 tablespoons of cornstarch was quite a lot, so I cut my quantity down to 4 tablespoons and it was perfect. Love this recipe, it's a keeper.
Gregory P.

5 stars September 11th, 2016

This looks and tastes precisely like the ones found in Parisian patisseries. My favorite French pastry. Very clear instructions. Easy to make. Wonderful.
Adie H.

5 stars July 2nd, 2016

My husband's favorite and we don't have to go to Paris for him to have it. Wonderful. Not complicated, and it tastes exactly like the Paris patisserie flan we love so much.
Sharon D.

2 stars November 29th, 2015

I wanted to love this recipe. The patisserie flans in France were my favorite. I'm an accomplished baker but this recipe didn't look anything like the picture. I think the problem is the amount of cornstarch. I was shocked it called for 6 tablespoons. It makes the custard way too thick and the recipe only says it should coat the back of a spoon and there is no way you can strain it. Could someone let me know what the correct amount should be?
Donna M.

5 stars October 23rd, 2015

It tasted exactly like my favorite Parisian treat. Excellent recipe.