Snack Like a Parisian With a Slice of This Dreamy Custard Tart

This hefty custard tart can be served at room temperature or chilled, as an elegant dessert or afternoon pick-me-up. (Audrey Le Goff)

Flans pâtissiers—custard tarts—hold a high rank in classic French baking. The Parisian take, le flan Parisien, is no exception.

This hefty pie features a flaky, all-butter pie crust encasing a rich and creamy vanilla custard with a caramelized skin. This treat is sold in most French bakeries, and essentially every bakery within its namesake city, as it’s inarguably a Parisian favorite to be enjoyed during le goûter, the traditional 4 p.m. snack break.

After baking, the custard filling takes on a handsome caramelized sheen. (Audrey Le Goff)

Medieval Origins

The Parisian flan belongs to the family of flans pâtissiers, classic French tarts consisting of a creamy custard filling encased in a crisp pastry crust, known for their myriad regional variations and flavor twists.

While it’s challenging to pinpoint the exact person or even era responsible for their creation, flans pâtissiers have been a part of French culinary history for centuries. Their first traces can be found back in the Middle Ages in the city of Amiens, in the north of France. It’s said that locals would use communal ovens to make so-called “darioles,” individual puff pastry shells stuffed with pastry cream, baked until a thick, caramelized skin formed over top. We can later find traces of the same flans being served during the crowning banquet of French King Henry IV, in 1399.

The popularity of custard-based desserts grew during the 19th and 20th centuries, with French pastry chefs refining and perfecting their techniques. Likewise, each French region developed its own take on these custard tarts, which are, for the most part, still widely popular today. In the eastern Lorraine region, for instance, the creamy filling is made with the addition of crème fraîche, while in Franche-Comté, at the Swiss border, the regional take called galette au goumeau features a brioche-like dough filled with a more-yellow pastry cream using only egg yolks.

The Parisian flan, with its distinctive combination of smooth, vanilla-infused custard and crisp pastry, first became popular in Parisian bakeries. From there, it became a staple of French patisseries and a beloved dessert around the world.

Universal Appeal

So what makes the Parisian flan so popular? The contrast between the creamy vanilla custard and buttery, flaky pie crust is undeniably a key part of its appeal. This combination of texture and flavor is rich and elegant but has a nostalgic feel, reminding us of the creamy custards and puddings of our childhood.

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Then, there’s the caramelized skin formed on top of the custard—an aspect that flan devotees scrutinize when they’re about to purchase a slice. Some will prefer a dark, almost blackened skin with a strong caramel flavor, while others prefer a lightly colored skin that instead lets the vanilla flavor of the custard shine.

Finally, while it’s an elegant treat, its popularity is also in part because of its portability: It’s a snack that you can easily grab at a bakery and eat on the go. You'll see kids and adults alike line up at bakeries before 4 p.m. for their afternoon slice!

Tips for Success

At home, the Parisian flan is perfect to prepare as a dessert when you have guests, as you can make it ahead of time—the day before or at least five hours prior.

This dough recipe yields enough for two crusts; use one for this flan recipe and keep the other for another tart or quiche. Well-wrapped, the dough can keep in the fridge for up to two days or in the freezer for up to three months. This recipe is made for an 8-inch round springform pan. You can also use a 9-inch pan, but the flan will have less height.

To flavor the flan, a whole vanilla bean gives the best and most authentic flavor, but you can substitute 1/2 tablespoon of vanilla extract as a more affordable option.

A Parisian flan can be enjoyed at room temperature; the custard will be creamy. Or you can leave it overnight in the fridge and enjoy it the next day for a firmer, sliceable flan that you can eat with your hands—just as Parisians do.

Parisian Vanilla Custard Tart (Flan Parisien)

Serves 8

For the Crust

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

For the Pastry Cream

• 2 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup whipping cream (35 percent milkfat)
• 1 vanilla bean (or 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract)
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 6 tablespoon cornstarch
• 6 large egg yolks, at room temperature

In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, and sugar. Add the oil, and mix until the flour starts to look crumbly. Add the cubed butter, and mix the ingredients together using your hands (rub between your palms) until you get a crumbly, sandy texture and pea-size bits of butter are still visible.

Combine the flour, salt, sugar, oil, and butter until you get a crumbly, sandy texture. (Audrey Le Goff)

In a small bowl, stir together the water and lemon juice. Add the liquid to the flour mix and combine until the dough comes together into a ball. Shape into two discs, wrap in plastic film, and chill for 30 minutes.

Add the lemon-water and combine until the dough comes together into a ball. (Audrey Le Goff)

While the dough rests in the fridge, prepare the vanilla milk.

Pour the milk and the cream into a medium saucepan over low heat, and scrape the seeds of the vanilla bean into the pan. Heat, stirring occasionally, to infuse the milk for 10 minutes. The milk should never reach a simmering point. Turn off the heat, and let the milk cool completely to room temperature.

While the dough rests, infuse the milk and cream with the vanilla bean seeds. (Audrey Le Goff)

Dust a work surface with flour, and roll out the pie dough to a 14-inch circle. Grease and flour an 8-inch round springform pan and line it with the dough, pressing well so the dough forms snugly to the bottom and sides. Don’t worry if excess dough hangs from the sides. Chill the pie shell for 30 minutes in the fridge.

Roll out the dough and snugly press into a greased and floured cake pan. (Audrey Le Goff)

Preheat your oven, with a rack in the middle, to 350 degrees F.

In a large saucepan, whisk together the brown sugar and cornstarch. Pour in the vanilla-infused milk while whisking. Whisk in the egg yolks. Turn on the heat to medium, and bring to a simmer. Whisk continuously until the mixture reaches a thick, creamy consistency and bubbles burst at the surface. This can take several minutes.

While the crust rests again, prepare the custard; it should reach a thick, creamy consistency. (Audrey Le Goff)

Pour the hot custard immediately into the pie shell, and smooth the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. With a sharp knife, carefully cut out the sides of the dough so it’s just 1/3 inch above the custard.

Bake for 45 minutes, until the crust looks set and the vanilla custard looks caramelized with a golden-brown color.

Pour the hot custard immediately into the pie shell, trim the crust, and bake until the crust is set and the custard is golden-brown. (Audrey Le Goff)

Transfer to a cooling rack, and cool for 2 hours before removing from the pan. Let the tart cool for at least 3 more hours before serving.