Flan Maraichin Recipe

| French Cuisine
Flan Maraichin Recipe

Flan Maraichin (Custard Tart) Recipe

This Flan Maraichin recipe comes from the Marais area of the Vendée. A little to the north-west of La Rochefoucauld. It is usually served at the end of a festive Easter Meal with strawberries or raspberries – divine! This is a classic culinary ‘can’t tell the book by looking at the cover’. It looks very plain but this Flan Maraichin recipe is just bursting with flavour.

  • Use unsalted butter
  • Remember the egg weight quoted is unshelled – I know we all tend to keep our eggs in the fridge but having them a room temperature when you cook is important
  • You can substitute cream for half the milk in the filling mix for an even more luxurious taste
  • You should avoid using vanilla essence if you can. Pods are always best although vanilla paste is a handy alternative
  • Cinnamon powder works almost as well as the sticks

Download PDF Recipe

Serves 6

Ingredients

For the Paté Sucrée (sweet short pastry)

  • 250g plain flour
  • 100g diced butter
  • 100g icing sugar
  • 5g salt
  • 2 eggs at room temperature
  • A pinch of flour
  • 30g butter for greasing
  • Egg wash – 1 egg yolk mixed with a teaspoon of milk

For the filling

  • 4 eggs
  • 250g caster sugar in two lots of 125g
  • 750ml full cream milk
  • 1 vanilla pod split lengthways
  • 1 cinnamon stick

Method

First make and cook the pastry:

  • Sieve the flour into a large bowl.
  • Put the butter into another bowl and work with your fingertips until completely softened. Add the sugar and salt and mix well. Add the eggs and mix again.
  • Slowly add this mixture to the flour. Drawing the flour into the mixture. When everything is well mixed, knead the dough 2 or 3 times with the palm of your hand until it is very smooth. Place the pastry into the ‘fridge for about 20 minutes.
  • Remove from the fridge and onto a lightly floured board. Roll out the pastry to a thickness of about 2-3mm. Grease your flan ring and line it with the pastry, pulling the edges up gently with your fingertips to make a frill. Slide the ring onto a baking sheet and place in the fridge for about 20 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 220° C/200° fan assisted/425°F/Gas Mark 7
  • When the pastry is ready, remove from fridge. Carefully prick the bottom of the pastry case with a fork. Line it with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans.
  • Place into the oven and bake blind for about 15-20minutes. Leave to cool slightly and remove the beans and greaseproof paper.
  • Brush all over the inside with the eggwash and return the pastry case to the oven for about 5 minutes, until the glaze is lightly coloured. Leave in the flan ring and keep at room temperature.
  • Lower the oven temperature to 150°C/130°C fan assisted/300° F/ Gas Mark 2.

Now make the filling:

  • Break the eggs into a mixing bowl with 125g of the sugar and beat with a whisk until pale and of a ribbon consistency.
  • In a saucepan, bring the milk to the boil with the split vanilla pod, cinnamon stick and the remaining 125g of sugar. As soon as the milk boils, pour it on to the egg mixture in the bowl, whisking continuously.
  • Scrape the seeds out of the vanilla pod into the mixture, then discard the pod and the cinnamon stick.
  • Pass the custard through a sieve and pour into the pastry case and cook immediately in the oven for about 45 minutes until the filling is just set. The top should be a light nutty brown.

To serve:

When the flan is almost cold, lift off the ring and carefully slide on to a serving plate. Serve at room temperature with fresh strawberries or raspberries and/or cream for that extra indulgence!

Bon Appetite 🙂

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