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Flan Pâtissier — French Vanilla Custard Tart with Shortcrust
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Source: https://recipheon.com/en/recipes/desserts/flan-patissier-french-vanilla-custard-tart-with-shortcrust
About this recipe
Flan pâtissier is a tall French tart with vanilla custard, a browned top, and a shortcrust base. The thick custard of milk, cream, and eggs is first cooked with cornstarch, then baked in a partially baked pastry shell. This means the base does not remain raw and allows the chilled filling to be cut into even, firm slices. Use a 22 cm springform pan at least 6 cm tall; the thin pastry base and sides should hold a tall layer of custard. Work the dough briefly so it stays tender after baking, and stir the custard along the bottom of the saucepan as it cooks. The top should brown clearly, while the center may still wobble gently when it comes out of the oven. Only complete cooling and at least four hours in the refrigerator give it the right consistency. Allow about nine hours from starting to slicing, including chilling the dough, both baking stages, and cooling. One large tart makes ten servings.
Ingredients
Pastry and pan preparation
230 g wheat flour, Polish type 450: 220 g for the dough and 10 g for dusting while rolling
115 g unsalted butter (82% fat): 110 g cold for the dough and 5 g for greasing the pan
40 g powdered sugar
4 medium eggs, about 200 g raw weight without shells in total: 1 egg, about 50 g, for the dough and 3 eggs, about 150 g, for the custard
10 ml cold water for the dough, retained in the baked tart
2 g fine salt for the dough
Vanilla custard
900 ml milk (3.2% fat)
200 ml liquid whipping cream (30% fat)
180 g white granulated sugar
90 g cornstarch, not corn flour
10 ml natural vanilla extract
Steps
Mix 220 g flour, the powdered sugar, and the salt in a bowl. Add 110 g cold butter, cut into cubes, and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add one egg and the cold water, then briefly bring the ingredients together into a smooth dough without prolonged kneading. Flatten into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Line the base of a 22 cm springform pan at least 6 cm tall with parchment paper and grease the sides with 5 g butter. Dust the work surface and rolling pin with the reserved 10 g flour, then roll the dough about 4–5 mm thick. Line the base and sides to a height of about 5 cm; use the trimmings to patch thinner areas and seal any cracks carefully. Prick the base with a fork and chill the pan for about 20 minutes; meanwhile, preheat a conventional oven (no fan) to 190°C.
AI-generated Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill with ceramic pie weights, supporting the sides as well. Bake on the middle rack for about 20–25 minutes until the edges are set and lightly golden. Carefully remove the paper and weights and bake for about 10 minutes more, until the base is dry and lightly golden. Start making the custard near the end of this baking stage, then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C after removing the shell.
AI-generated During the final approximately 15 minutes of baking the shell, heat the milk, cream, and vanilla extract in a large saucepan over medium heat for about 5–7 minutes, until hot and lightly steaming. Mix the remaining three eggs with the granulated sugar in a bowl, then add the cornstarch and mix until smooth. Gradually pour about one third of the hot milk and cream into the eggs, whisking constantly so the eggs do not form curdled lumps.
Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan with the remaining milk and cream. Cook over medium-low heat for about 2–3 minutes, whisking constantly along the bottom and sides, until the custard thickens noticeably and the first large bubbles appear. From that point, cook for about 2 minutes more at a gentle bubble, stirring so the cornstarch cooks fully and the custard does not stick. Remove from the heat; the custard should be smooth and thick, falling slowly from the whisk.
Transfer the hot custard to the partially baked shell, still in the springform pan. Spread it evenly and smooth the top with a spatula; keep the filling below the pastry rim. Do not remove the tart from the pan before baking and chilling, as the hot filling is still soft.
AI-generated Place the springform pan on the middle rack of the oven preheated to 180°C on the conventional (no-fan) setting. Bake for about 45–50 minutes, until distinct brown patches appear on top, the filling is set around the edges, and the center wobbles only slightly when you gently move the pan. If the pastry rim browns heavily before baking is finished, shield it with a strip of aluminum foil. The custard should not ripple like liquid; do not wait for the hot center to become completely firm, as the tart will set as it chills.
Set the pan on a wire rack and let it cool for about 2 hours; then refrigerate the tart, even if it is still slightly warm. Cover it and chill in the pan for at least 4 hours, until the custard is completely cold and firm. Do not shorten the chilling time if you want even slices; keep the tart refrigerated between serving further portions as well.
Carefully loosen the pastry edges from the pan and remove the springform ring. Transfer the tart to a plate, remove the paper underneath, and cut into ten servings with a sharp knife. Serve chilled; the cut surface should show a firm, smooth layer of custard above the shortcrust base.
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