Flan Parisien

Method

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1. Rub the butter into the flour, sugar and salt, bring together with the egg, and chill 60 minutes.

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2. Roll and line a deep 22 cm cake tin, pressing the pastry up the sides. Chill while you make the custard.

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3. Heat the milk, cream and vanilla pods to steaming. Whisk the yolks, sugar and cornflour to a smooth paste.

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4. Pour a little hot milk onto the yolks, whisk, then return everything to the pan.

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5. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and then bubbles thickly for a full minute. It should be very stiff.

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6. Beat in the butter and salt, then pour the hot custard into the chilled case and smooth the top.

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7. Bake at 200°C / 400°F for 50 minutes, until the top is deeply browned and blistered almost black in places. Cool completely, then chill 240 minutes before cutting.

   Mark done Start 50 min timer

Chef’s Tips

• Cook the custard thick on the hob first. That is the set.
• A dark, scorched top. Pale means underbaked.
• Chill it properly — four hours minimum — or it will not slice.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Double cream won't whip if you swap it, but for the cooking itself, full-fat crème fraîche or a lower-fat single cream works in its place.

Pairing Suggestions

• Espresso
• Nothing else
• A second slice

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 3 days. It does not freeze.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.