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4.91 from 10 votes

French Custard Pie - With Apples (Flan Parisien)

French Custard pie with Apples bakes up to a smooth and creamy texture of custard with the delicious sweetness of fresh apples. It's absolutely loved for its simplicity, basic ingredients and great flavors.
Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings 8 slices

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric
  • ¾ cup All purpose (same as plain flour -UK OR cake flour)
  • ⅔ cup white granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 5 large eggs (see note 1)
  • 1 cup whole milk (full fat) (see note 2)
  • 1 cup heavy cream (any dairy whipping cream works)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 medium apples (thinly sliced to at least ⅛ inch / 3mm) (see note 3)

Instructions

  • In a large bowl whisk together the flour,salt and sugar.
  • Add the eggs, cream, milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.
  • Chill the batter in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. (see note 4)
  • Assemble and bake: Get the batter out of the refrigerator and stir gently, mixing any flour that settled to the bottom during chilling.
  • Preheat the oven to 325° F / 170°C (150°C - if you are using a fan assisted oven)
  • Line a baking pan (bottom and sides) with parchment paper. Ensure it hangs over the sides of the tin for easy removal after baking. I used a 7.5 inch (19cm) round cake pan. (See note 5)
  • Pour the batter into the lined baking pan. Arrange the slices of apples over the batter.
  • Bake for 35 - 40 minutes. A skewer inserted in the middle should come out clean once baked.
  • Remove from the oven but leave in the pan for 15 -20 minutes to cool and set. (see note 6)
  • Holding on to the overhanging parchment paper, gently but quickly lift out the baked custard pie.
  • Slice and serve while warm or refrigerate until serving.

Storage

  • The baked French custard pie can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Notes

1. Eggs: It doesn't matter whether you use cold eggs straight from the refrigerator or let them come to room temperature – both options work just fine.
2.Milk: For best results, go for whole milk (full fat) when making this recipe. Just remember that low-fat or skimmed milk won't work well in this French Custard pie.
3. Apples:
  • Whether you peel the apples or not depends on the kind you're using. If you've got thin-skinned apples like Royal Gala or Golden Delicious, you can leave the peel on. They soften up nicely while baking and give the baked pie a rustic texture.
  • Just make sure to slice them really thin (at least ⅛ inch) so you don't end up with any tough or stringy pieces.
  • But if you've got apples with a thicker peel like Granny Smith, I'd suggest peeling them before using in the recipe.
 
4. Why to chill the batter before baking:
  • You can make the batter ahead of time and refrigerate it overnight if you'd like. Or chill for 1 hour before baking
  • When you chill the batter before baking, it helps the custard set evenly, avoiding a rubbery texture.
  • The cold batter ensures that the custard bakes evenly.
  • In addition, chilling the batter reduces the shrinkage of the custard as it cools.
 
5. Baking pan types:
  • I used a 7.5 inch (19cm) round cake pan for this recipe. The French Custard Pie baked up to 1.2 inches (3cm) in height.
  • You can use any baking pan for this recipe, but remember that a larger pan will result in a thinner French custard pie.
  • Avoid using a springform pan as the thin batter may leak from the bottom since there is no crust in this recipe.
 
6. After baking, leave to cool for 15-20 minutes in the baking pan:
  • During the cooling process, the custard continues to set and firm up. Cooling in the pan helps the custard maintain its shape and structure as it cools.
  • Letting the custard pie cool in the pan makes it more stable and less likely to fall apart when taken out, as hot custard is delicate.
  • It also makes it easier to handle and transfer to your serving plate. The ingredients blend together, creating an even more delicious flavor combination

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 205mg | Potassium: 175mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 1mg
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