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Parisian Flan (French Custard Pie) Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 111 reviews

Parisian Flan is a classic French custard pie featuring a smooth, rich vanilla-infused custard nestled in a buttery, tender pastry crust. This decadent dessert is baked to perfection and finished with a caramelized top, offering a delightful combination of creamy texture and a subtly caramelized flavor. Perfect for a refined dessert or special occasion treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Custard

  • 3 cups (750 ml) milk
  • 1 cup (250 ml) sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
  • 6 tablespoons (90 ml) cornstarch
  • 1 cup (250 ml) 35% cream
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 egg

Pastry Crust

  • 1½ cups (375 ml) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) salt
  • ¾ cup (180 ml) cold unsalted butter, diced
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) milk
  • 1 egg yolk

Instructions

  1. Infuse Milk: In a saucepan, bring milk, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes to infuse the vanilla flavor.
  2. Prepare Custard Mixture: In a bowl, dissolve cornstarch in cream using a whisk. Add in the four egg yolks and whole egg, mixing thoroughly. Slowly pour this into the infused milk while stirring continuously.
  3. Cook Custard: Place the mixture over low heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula and scraping the bottom of the pan carefully, until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and strain the custard.
  4. Cool Custard: Cover the custard with plastic wrap placed directly on its surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool in the refrigerator or over an ice water bath. Set aside.
  5. Make Pastry Dough: In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add cold diced butter and pulse until mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.
  6. Form Dough: Add milk and egg yolk to the flour mixture and pulse until a dough ball begins to form. Shape the dough into a disc with your hands.
  7. Roll and Chill Dough: On a floured surface, roll out the pastry disc and line a 20 cm (8-inch) diameter, 6 cm (2½-inch) deep springform pan. Press firmly into pan. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  8. Preheat Oven: Place a rack in the lowest position and preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
  9. Fill and Bake: Pour the cooled custard into the prepared crust. Trim excess dough to about ½ cm (¼ inch) above the custard level. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the custard is set but slightly wobbly in the center.
  10. Caramelize Top: Set oven to broil and caramelize the custard surface for about 5 minutes or until it is partially burnt and caramelized. Remove from the oven.
  11. Cool and Refrigerate: Let the flan cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours to fully set.
  12. Unmould and Serve: Carefully remove the flan from the springform pan and serve chilled.

Notes

  • Ensure to stir the custard constantly while cooking to prevent lumps and avoid burning.
  • Chilling the pastry dough firms the butter which helps create a tender and flaky crust.
  • Placing plastic wrap directly on custard prevents skin formation for a smoother texture.
  • Broiling at the end adds a signature caramelized top that balances the sweetness and adds texture.
  • For best results, allow the flan to set fully in the refrigerator before serving.

Keywords: Parisian Flan, French Custard Pie, Vanilla Custard, Classic French Dessert, Custard Pie Recipe, Caramelized Flan

Find it online: https://reemcook.com/parisian-flan-french-custard-pie-recipe/