Featured Recipe
Vanilla-Coconut Flan Parisien
By Kate
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A creamy custard tart with a crisp pastry base. Vanilla bean and coconut milk blend in custard. Cornstarch thickens, eggs bind. Pastry enriched with browned butter and a hint of cinnamon replaces traditional. Baked at high heat, finished under broiler for caramelized top. Cooled well before serving. Yields 10 to 12 portions.
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Prep:
35 min
Cook:
50 min
Total:
Serves:
10 to 12 servings
dessert
French
coconut
baking
Introduction
Flan, custard tart. Creamy, dense, with a crackling toasted crown. Classic vanilla meets tropical coconut milk twist. Browning butter for the crust brings nutty depth. Cinnamon in the dough adds subtle warmth, unexpected but not loud. Long infusions and constant stirring, no lumps allowed. Set custard thick but yielding, wobbling just a little when done. Chilling crucial — flavors settle, texture solidifies. Broiling scorches sugary surface to uneven caramel char. Dark spots, bits burnt. Imperfect, rustic, appealing. Slice thick. Meal-dessert crossover. French inspired, tropical infused.
Ingredients
Custard
- 525 ml (2 1/4 cups) whole milk
- 225 ml (7 1/2 oz) canned coconut milk
- 200 ml (7/8 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
- 60 ml (4 tbsp) cornstarch
- 225 ml (1 cup) heavy cream 35%
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- 400 ml (1 2/3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 20 ml (1 1/3 tbsp) caster sugar
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 180 ml (3/4 cup) browned unsalted butter, cooled
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) whole milk
- 1 egg yolk
Pastry
About the ingredients
Coconut milk replaces part of the dairy for a subtle exotic flavor, so use full-fat canned for richness. Browning butter ahead develops a nutty aroma elevating the dough, carefully watch color so it doesn’t burn. Ground cinnamon is optional but recommended for depth. Cornstarch lessens eggs for lighter custard texture. Vanilla bean gives real aromatic boost – do not substitute with extract, risk losing character. Rolling dough cold helps prevent shrinking. Use a 20 cm deep pan for right thickness. Keep ingredients cold when mixing pastry.
Method
Pastry
- 1. Pulse flour, sugar, cinnamon in food processor. Add browned butter until pea-sized crumbs form. Add milk and egg yolk; pulse gently just until dough starts to clump. Shape dough into disc, wrap, chill 20 minutes.
- 2. On lightly floured surface, roll dough to fit 20 cm (8 in) springform pan 6 cm (2 1/2 in) deep. Press firmly. Freeze 15 minutes.
- 3. Combine whole milk, coconut milk, sugar, vanilla bean plus seeds in saucepan. Bring to simmer. Remove from heat. Cover. Let infuse 12 minutes.
- 4. Whisk cornstarch into heavy cream until smooth. Beat in egg yolks and whole egg. Slowly mix into warm infused milk. Return to low heat.
- 5. Stir constantly with wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, scraping bottom, until thickened and coats spoon, about 5-7 minutes. Do not boil. Strain through fine sieve into bowl. Cover surface with plastic wrap. Cool over iced water bath. Refrigerate briefly if needed.
- 6. Preheat oven to 195°C (385°F). Place rack low in oven.
- 7. Pour custard into chilled pastry shell. Trim edges to 1/2 cm over custard.
- 8. Bake 40 minutes until custard barely jiggles. Increase oven to broil/grill.
- 9. Broil 4-6 minutes, watch closely. Surface should caramelize spots, some darker patches.
- 10. Remove from oven. Cool to room temperature, then chill 5-6 hours or overnight.
- 11. Run knife around pan edge before removing ring. Serve cold.
Custard
Assembly and Baking
Technique Tips
Start with the pastry since it needs chilling. Browning butter needs attention – swirl pan, remove from heat as soon as nutty smell starts. Combine dry ingredients first, then butter, milk, and egg yolk at once, avoid overmixing. Chill dough before rolling to make handling easier, this reduces shrinkage when baking later. Be gentle while rolling. Custard needs stirring constantly once combined to avoid lumps and sticking; take your time. Infuse fully to unlock vanilla flavor. Cool custard quickly in an ice-water bath before chilling fully. Bake custard in lower third of oven to avoid collapsing. When broiling, watch relentlessly – surface caramelizes quickly and unevenly. Let tart set fully in fridge before serving, essential for texture.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Browning butter well is key. Watch closely. Gentle heat. Remove when it smells nutty. Cool it down properly. Too hot will ruin dough. Don't burn.
- 💡 Chill pastry dough for best results. 20 minutes in fridge, then roll gently. Keep it cold. Prevents shrinkage. Working too warm, dough sticks.
- 💡 Infuse milk properly. Simmer then cover. Let vanilla and coconut flavors meld well. This step matters. Constant stirring during custard mix. No lumps allowed.
- 💡 Bake in lower rack of oven. Custard needs even heat distribution. Broil at end for caramelized top. Watch closely. Surface can scorch easily.
- 💡 Cool before slicing. Let flavors settle. Texture changes when fully chilled. Better taste. Don't rush the chilling step. Essential for best results.
Kitchen Wisdom
How long to chill?
Chill at least 5-6 hours. Overnight is better. Texture improves. Flavors meld much better. Waiting is key.
Can I use other milks?
Yes, but stick to high-fat options. Coconut is richer. Almond is lighter. Consider cream for extra smoothness.
What if custard is too runny?
Check cooking time. It should thicken lots on the stove. Broiling helps surface but cooking correctly first is essential.
How to store leftovers?
They last in fridge up to 3 days. Put covered. Avoid strong odors. Do not freeze! Texture changes too much.
