French Flan Pâtissier Recipe

Name: French Flan Pâtissier Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1¼ cups of flour (150 g); ⅓ cups of butter (75 g); ¼ cups icing sugar (35 g); 3 tablespoons of ground almonds (20 g); 1 egg yolk; 3 cups of milk (700 ml); ⅔ cups of heavy cream (150 ml); 1 vanilla pod; 1 whole egg; 3 egg yolks; ½ cup + 2 tablespoons of sugar (120 g); ⅔ cups of cornstarch (75 g)

5 of 2 votes

Prep time: 30

Cook time: 50

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If there’s one dessert that instantly takes me back to my childhood, it’s the Flan Pâtissier. This classic French cake, with its silky-smooth texture, buttery homemade crust, and generous vanilla custard, is always a favorite in our home. Here’s my traditional, easy-to-make version, comforting, nostalgic, and absolutely delicious!

What is a Flan Pâtissier?

The flan parisien, or flan pâtissier, is a staple of French pastry. It’s made with a crust base, usually shortcrust, sweet, or puff pastry and filled with a thick, creamy custard made from milk, eggs, cornstarch, sugar, and vanilla.

You’ll find it in just about every bakery in France, and it’s easy to see why: it’s simple, generous, and incredibly comforting. What I love most is that unique texture firm yet creamy and that delicous vanilla flavor. And the best part? No fork needed, it’s can to be enjoyed by hand, even on the go!

Ingredients You Need

French flan is a simple and budget-friendly dessert, made with just a handful of simple ingredients, but packed with flavor. As always, you’ll find the exact measurements in the recipe card.

For the shortcrust pastry (pâte sucrée)

You can choose between a sweet shortcrust pastry, homemade puff pastry, or like me, a pâte sucrée, a variation of the sweet shortcrust pastry pastry using ground almonds.

Flour: I use classic all-purpose flour for the shortcrust pastry, but feel free to swap it for a gluten-free option if needed.
Cold butter: Essential for that rich, flavorful crust, make sure it’s straight from the fridge!
Icing sugar: It blends more easily into the dough than granulated sugar and gives a smoother texture.
Ground almonds: Adds a subtle nuttiness and makes the crust extra tender and delicious.
Egg yolk: Helps bind the dough together and gives it a beautiful golden color.

For the Custard (Crème Pâtissière)

Crème pâtissière is a classic French pastry cream thick, smooth, and infused with vanilla. It’s the heart of Flan Pâtissier, and here’s what you’ll need:

· Whole milk: A must for that creamy-but-firm texture. Skip the skim, it won’t do the trick!
· Heavy cream (30% milk fat): Adds a luxurious softness to the custard.
· Cornstarch: Thickens the mixture beautifully, without making it heavy or lumpy.
· Eggs + yolks: These give the custard its structure and richness.
· Sugar: I like my flan mildly sweet, just enough to balance the flavors.
· Vanilla: I love using real vanilla bean for its deep flavor and those pretty little specks in the cream. But a good-quality vanilla extract works perfectly too, especially if you’re short on time.

Good to know! The more egg whites you use, the firmer your flan will be. On the other hand, adding more yolks makes it creamier and richer. After lots of testing, I found my ideal balance: 3 yolks to 1 whole egg. The result? A custard that’s perfectly set, yet creamy, just the way I like it!

Crème pâtissière is also the base for many beloved French desserts, like éclairs, mille-feuille, or my favorite: Strawberry Tartelettes !

Step 1: Prepare the Shortcrust Pastry

For a flan pâtissier that truly tastes like it came from a French bakery, I always start with homemade shortcrust pastry. (But hey, if you’re in a hurry, store-bought works just fine too!)

In a mixing bowl or directly in your food processor combine the flour, icing sugar, ground almonds, and cold butter (cut into small cubes). Mix until the texture resembles coarse sand.

My tip! You can even prepare the shortcrust pastry the day before, as it keeps very well.

Once you’ve achieved a sandy texture, add the egg yolk. If necessary, a spoonful of water will help bind everything together. Form the dough into a ball, roll it out and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Step 2: Prepare the Custard (crème pâtissière)

Heat the milk and cream with the seeds and split vanilla pods over medium heat.

Caution : Milk and cream must not boil!

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, yolks and sugar until pale, then whisk in the cornstarch. Pour a small ladleful of hot milk into the mixture to temper it, then return the mixture to the pan.

Thicken over a medium heat while stirring, then strain and leave to cool.

Step 3: Pre-Bake the Shortcrust Pastry

Roll out your shortcrust pastry with a rolling pin, then gently press it into a buttered 8-inch (21 cm) springform pan.

Note: If the dough tears or cracks, don’t stress, just patch it up by pressing it into place with your fingers. No one will ever know!

Cover the dough with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans to keep it from puffing up. Pre-bake for 12 minutes at 350°F (180°C), then remove from the oven and let it cool slightly before adding the filling.

Step 4 : Bake the Flan Pâtissier

Pour the chilled custard cream (crème pâtissière) over the pre-baked crust, carefully smoothing the surface.

Bake at 356°F (180°C) for 35 to 40 minutes.

Leave to cool completely to room temperature before placing in the fridge for at least 4 hours (overnight is even better). This resting time is essential to help the custard set properly and achieve that perfect, sliceable texture.

Tips for a Successful French Flan

Choose whole milk and a heavy cream with 30% fat, which guarantees a good texture.
Use a pan that’s not too big, to get a thick flan. 8 inches (21 cm) is ideal for this recipe.
Be patient! Leave your flan pâtissier to cool, it will hold together better and the flavours are better after resting.

Variation Ideas on Flan Pâtissier

Chocolate version: add 5oz (150 g) melted dark chocolate to the flan mixture.
Crustless version: for a lighter version, pour the cream directly into a buttered and floured pan.

More French Dessert Recipes

Did you like this recipe? Here are some other ideas:

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a flan and a flan pâtissier?

The flan pâtissier (or French Flan) is baked on a pastry base, with a thick vanilla cream, similar to a crème pâtissière. The “classic” flan contains only eggs, milk and sugar, is lighter, has no batter and is often baked in a water bath.

Which pastry for a French Flan?

Parisian flans are most often prepared with shortcrust or sweet pastry, which provide a solid, melt-in-the-mouth base. Some recipes also opt for puff pastry, for extra crunch. It’s up to you to choose the texture you prefer!

Which mould to use for a French Flan?

A 21 cm-diameter round springform pan is perfect for thick flans. It also facilitates unmolding, which is always a plus with this type of dessert.

French Flan pâtissier: puff pastry or shortcrust pastry?

Both can be made, but personally I prefer shortcrust pastry for its shortbread texture, which goes perfectly with the cream.

How do I know if my Flan Pâtissier is cooked?

The flan pâtissier is ready when its surface is golden brown, with a few characteristic brown spots, and the center shakes slightly when you move the mold. It’s normal for the center to still seem a little “soft”: it will firm up as it cools, and then completely as it chills.

Does the French Flan harden as it cools?

Yes, absolutely! That’s why you need to let it rest for several hours in the fridge.

Don’t hesitate to leave me a comment, it always makes me very happy!

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