Flan parisien

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PRESENTATION

Flan Parisien is this classic French dessert that's, frankly, impossible to resist. Seriously good stuff. Picture this: you're strolling past bakery windows in Paris and there it is, gleaming, pulling you in with its smooth, golden top and thick, creamy filling. It's a French custard tart found all over the Seine, popping up in countless boulangeries as either the perfect afternoon snack or a quick breakfast treat.

Here's the thing, what makes the Flan Parisien recipe so special is its simplicity. Really, it’s no fuss. You start with a ready-made puff pastry base—or sometimes a shortcrust, which works great too—then fill it with rich vanilla custard mixed with just a hint of lemon zest. Bake it until it's firm yet soft in the middle. It’s kinda like the English custard tart or the famous Portuguese pasteis de nata, but this French version has its own cozy vibe. The sweet custard gets that golden finish on top.

Across France, you'll find different takes on this dessert. Some call it flan pâtissier and others go with Parisian flan. And you know what? Grab a slice in Paris, and you'll notice that the custard is extra smooth and holds together perfectly—never too runny, never too stiff. Really, it’s so so good. The aroma of vanilla and lemon wafts out as soon as you cut into it, and the simple pastry crust keeps it all together, giving you the perfect bite every time.

Look, Flan Parisien is ideal for anyone craving a no-fuss dessert that still feels a bit fancy and stays super moist as you eat it. Fans of French dessert recipes love how easy it is to whip up at home, with no special skills needed. Whether you're enjoying it as a light snack or trying your hand at some traditional French baking, this custard tart recipe brings a little taste of Paris right to your kitchen. Next time you’re in the mood for something sweet and delicious, give this really really good treat a try and enjoy a bit of French flair wherever you are.

INGREDIENTS
Ingredients for a 9.5-inch baking pan
Puff pastry 8.1 oz (230 g)
Sugar 1 ¼ cup (250 g)
Type 00 flour 1.75 oz (50 g)
Cornstarch 6 tbsp (50 g)
Whole milk 4 ¼ cups (1 l)
Fresh liquid cream 1 cup (250 ml)
Egg yolks 5
Vanilla bean 1
Lemon peel ½
Preparation

How to prepare Flan parisien

To prepare the Parisian flan, first prepare the cream for the filling: place the 5 egg yolks in a saucepan 1 and add the granulated sugar 2. Melt the sugar well over very low heat, stirring with a whisk 3.

Then add the cornstarch (alternatively, you can use potato starch) and the previously sifted flour (4-5) and mix everything until you get a homogeneous mixture 6.

At this point, add the room-temperature milk in a thin stream, always stirring with a whisk 7 and the cream 8. Slit a vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape off the seeds with the tip of a knife 9.

Add the bean and its seeds to the egg and milk mixture 10 and finally grate the zest of half a lemon 11; let it cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk 12, for about 15 minutes or until it reaches a creamy and compact consistency, similar to that of custard.

Once ready, remove the vanilla bean from the cream 13. Take the roll of puff pastry, which must be well chilled from the refrigerator, unroll it, and lay it, with its parchment paper, in a springform pan about 9.5 inches in diameter 14, then prick the bottom with a fork 15 so that the puff pastry does not puff up too much during cooking.

Pour the obtained cream into the pan 16, spreading it evenly over the entire surface 17, and bake the flan in a preheated static oven at 340°F for about 1 hour (convection oven at 300°F for 50 minutes). Once cooked, let your flan cool slightly and then let it rest in the refrigerator for about 1 hour, so it deflates and compacts well, making it easier to slice. Your Parisian flan is just waiting to be served 18!

Storage

You can store the Parisian flan in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, well covered with plastic wrap or foil, to prevent it from absorbing other odors.
It can be frozen in portions and then thawed in the refrigerator when needed.

Tip

This flan is finger-licking good: with just a few simple ingredients, you'll pull a real wonder out of the oven. If you want, you can avoid using flour by adding 50g of cornstarch or potato starch. In this case, however, remember to let the cream cook for about ten more minutes in the saucepan, so it remains more compact. To stay in the vein of substitutions... the lemon zest can easily be replaced with the zest of half an orange, and the same goes for the flavoring: feel free to use almond, orange blossom, or rum instead of vanilla. And let's talk about additions... True gourmets will appreciate the possibility of adding chocolate chips to the mixture (after flouring them): as Laura would say, "it's to die for!"

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.