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French Custard Pie - With Apples (Flan Parisien)

PREP TIME 15 minutes
COOK TIME 45 minutes
Chilling 1 hour
TOTAL TIME 2 hours
servings8 slices
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.
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 45 - 50 minutes. If the top starts to brown too quickly, lightly dome a piece of foil over it, making sure the foil doesn't touch the batter.
    A skewer inserted in the middle should come out clean once baked.
  • Remember, all ovens can vary, so check a few minutes before the time is up or let it bake a little longer if needed—just keep an eye on the pie to make sure it doesn’t overcook!
  • 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.

Video

Recipe 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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