Tarte de Flan

Okay, so cracking the mystery of the flan tarte is proving to be harder than first imagined. I've tried several different attempts and while all were yummy in their own way (it's custard, what's not to like?) none have quite been as golden and eggy as the ones in France. I think we need french eggs and tons of cream or something. Perhaps I could import some chickens...

In any case, I've not given up and I'm including the most successful recipe of the bunch so far. More to come once I get even closer.

Tarte de Flan (makes one 10-inch round flan)

For the Crust:

2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 TBSP sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, (make sure it's cold) - cut into small chunks
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2-3 TBSP cold water
10-inch springform pan or other higher sided pie pan

In a food processor or medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt. If using a food processor, next add the butter chunks and pulse in the butter (if doing this by hand, use a pastry blender or two knives) until the mixture is coarse and resembles oatmeal. Next add 2 TBSP cold water and the vanilla and continue to pulse until dough starts to hold together. You may need to add more water if it's still too crumbly. If doing this by hand, use a fork to mix in the water and vanilla. Once the dough starts to hold together, gather it up in a ball. Place it on a sheet of plastic wrap (or pastry cloth) and flatten it into a circle about 3/4-inch thick. Place the pastry in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Once the pastry has chilled, roll it on a floured surface until it is thin and round and about 1-inch wider than the pan you will be using. Gently place the rolled pastry into the pan, being careful not to tear it (easier said than done sometimes) and make sure it extends about 1/4-inch beyond the edge of the pan (trim if needed). Press the pastry edges to the top of the pan a bit to help secure the pastry in place (can make pretty designs if gifted in that way by pinching dough - optional to be gifted). Chill the pastry again for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place a sheet of foil to cover the pastry and add pie weights or dried beans or rice to fill the pan. You don't want to prick the crust. Bake it in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the crust appears to be somewhat dry. Then remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10-15 minutes until it starts to become very light brown. Let the pie crust cool for about 10 minutes before adding the filling.

Flan custard

3 cups whole milk
4 eggs
4 egg yolks (save the egg whites for something else)
1/2 cup sugar
2 TBSP corn starch
1 TBSP vanilla extract

Mix the cornstarch in a small bowl with 1/2 cup milk. Heat the rest of the milk in a pan slowly until scalded. Whisk the eggs and yolks together and slowly add the sugar. Once the milk is hot, whisk the egg mixture quickly and slowly stream the hot milk into the egg mixture taking care to keep whisking to mix well. Finally, whisk in the cornstarch mixture and add the vanilla. Add the mixture back to the pan and keep whisking over a low-medium heat until is starts to just lightly bubble. Add the custard to the baked, cooled pie crust. If you have extra custard, just put it in custard cups or ramekins and bake the extra custard on the side.

Bake the flan at 350 for about 30-40 minutes until the custard is firm in the middle when gently poked with the back of a spoon. It should not be jiggly in the center.

Remove from oven and let the flan cool until just warm. Then put it in the refrigerator to chill or just eat the whole thing right then if you can't wait. Make sure to refrigerate any leftover flan but boobytrap it if you want any more for yourself.

Don't feel like making a pie crust? Just make the flan mixture in ramekins! Follow the same recipe above and fill about 8 ramekins with custard. Place the ramekins in a baking dish and fill the dish about half way up the sides of the ramekins with warm water before baking. Check the ramekins after about 15-20 minutes as they cook faster.

Enjoy!