Vanilla Flan Patissier
Madagascar Bourbon vanilla flan pâtissier: shortcrust pastry, custard set in the oven, pod infused in the milk. Made the day before, cut cold.
- Prep 30 min
- Cooking 45 min
- Total 75 min
- Serves 8 servings
- Difficulty Medium
Flan patissier combines a crisp pastry base with a custard set in the oven, flavoured with Madagascar vanilla. Our family grows and prepares this vanilla in the SAVA region, in north-eastern Madagascar; the pod infuses in the milk and cream before the custard is poured onto the pastry base.
This flan is made the day before: it cuts more cleanly once completely cold.
Preparation
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Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Roll out the shortcrust pastry into a 24 cm tart tin and prick the base with a fork. Set aside in the refrigerator.
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Split the vanilla pods lengthwise and scrape out the seeds.
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In a saucepan, pour in the milk, crème fraîche, seeds and pods. Bring to a simmer, turn off the heat, cover and let infuse for 15 minutes, then remove the pods.
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In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar until the mixture turns pale, then add the cornstarch and mix until smooth.
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Pour the hot milk back in a thin stream over this mixture while whisking, then pour it all back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the custard thickens, about 5 minutes.
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Pour the hot custard onto the pastry base and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is nicely golden and slightly cracked.
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Let cool to room temperature, then place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours before unmoulding and cutting.
The little extra that changes everything
Let the flan cool completely before cutting it: warm, the custard is still fragile and cuts poorly. For a nicely golden top without overcooked pastry edges, cover the pastry edges with a strip of aluminium foil for the first three quarters of baking, if needed. To split and scrape the pod, see how to use a vanilla pod. Another preparation made from infused milk and eggs, cooked in a saucepan: vanilla pastry cream. Our products for this recipe: Madagascar Bourbon vanilla pods
