27 Nov 2013

Apricot Flan Pâtissier

I can't believe it's almost Christmas already!

I've been so busy since I came back from India (recipes and pictures very soon on the blog) that I literally didn't see December come.
But good news is, I'm back and I'll have a bit more time to dedicate to you and my kitchen now!
And also I'll be enjoying the run up to Christmas!

Winter is well on its way, but I thought it wasn't too late for a bit of sunshine in a tart. So today on the menu is a very French dessert : the flan pâtissier.




Apricot flan, or French custard tart
also work with plums!

The flan pâtissier is one of my childhood favourite dessert.
Flan pâtissier is pretty much a custard tart, with a slightly smoother texture.  
It is rich, simple, delicious. Comfort food in the shape of a tart!

Ingredients:


3 or 4 apricots or plums (or more if you wish)
150 g caster sugar
1 litre milk
6 eggs 
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbsp. cornflour
 

Make the flan pâtissier:  

Preheat the oven at 180°c.

1/ Line a pie dish with shortcrust pastry. Leave aside.

2/ Pour the milk and vanilla in a pan, bring to the boil and turn off the heat.

3/ In a large bowl, beat together (with an electric whisk if possible) sugar and eggs until light and fluffy.

 4/ Add the corn flour and milk to the egg/sugar mixture and mix well. Pour back in the pan and, mixing continuously, bring to the boil and cook until thickened.


5/ Pour the mixture onto the tart base. Place the apricot halves (rounded side down) in the mix and bake for 30min at 180°c. The top will get hard, that's normal. Take out of the oven and leave to cool. Serve cold.

WARNING
It's important to wait till the custard it thickened before pouring it onto the base. I didn't, the cornflour sunk to the bottom of the tart, and I ended it up with a kind of creme caramel on a tart. It wasn't bad at all, but not a real flan pâtissier. Just follow the recipe's steps and you'll get a wonderful flan pâtissier!