Chocolate caramel flan

Ingredients

• 300 g Chocolate puff pastry (Use about two thirds of a ready‑made chocolate puff pastry)
• 10 g Unsalted butter (To grease the mold)
• 340 g Heavy cream (Full‑fat, 30 % milk fat)
• 340 g Whole milk (Whole)
• 3 unités Egg yolks (Separate the whites)
• 1 unité Whole egg (To bind the custard)
• 50 g Cornstarch (Corn starch)
• 20 g Unsalted butter (Incorporate at the end of cooking the custard)
• 35 g Granulated sugar (For the pastry cream)
• 100 g Granulated sugar (For the caramel)
• 200 g Dry beans or baking weights (For blind baking the tart base)
• 1 feuille Parchment paper (Line the bottom of the mold before blind baking)
• 5 g Flour (To lightly flour the work surface)

Instructions

1. Prepare the mold and the pastry

   Lightly butter the oval ring, flour the work surface, roll out the chocolate puff pastry to 2‑3 mm thickness, cut a rectangle slightly larger than the mold and let it overhang 2‑3 cm on the edges.

   Time: PT30M

2. Chill

   Wrap the dough in plastic film and place the prepared mold in the refrigerator for 2 h 30 min.

   Time: PT2H30M

3. Blind bake the tart base

   Preheat the oven to 160 °C. Line the pastry base with parchment paper, add the dry beans as baking weights, prick the dough with a fork and bake for 45 min. Remove the weights and the paper.

   Time: PT45M

   Temperature: 160°C

4. Make the caramel

   In a small saucepan, melt 100 g of sugar over medium heat until an amber colour is reached. Off the heat, slowly add the hot milk‑cream mixture (see next step) while stirring continuously to avoid splatters.

   Time: PT5M

5. Prepare the pastry‑cream mixture

   In a saucepan, heat the cream and milk until a gentle boil. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk the 3 yolks, the whole egg, the 35 g of sugar and the cornstarch until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.

   Time: PT5M

6. Incorporate the caramel and cook the custard

   Pour the hot caramel into the saucepan containing the milk‑cream, stir until fully dissolved, then add the egg‑cornstarch mixture. Return to medium heat and bring to a boil for 1 min while stirring constantly.

   Time: PT5M

7. Finish the custard

   Remove the saucepan from the heat and incorporate the 20 g of unsalted butter cut into small dice until it melts completely.

   Time: PT2M

8. Assemble the flan

   Trim the excess pastry around the rim of the mold, lightly dust with powdered sugar, then pour the caramel pastry‑cream into the pre‑baked tart base.

   Time: PT5M

9. Final bake of the flan

   Bake the flan again at 170 °C for 20 min, until the surface is lightly golden and the centre is set.

   Time: PT20M

   Temperature: 170°C

10. Cooling

    Remove the flan from the oven, place it on a rack and let it cool at room temperature for 1 h, then transfer to the refrigerator until completely cooled (about 2 h).

    Time: PT1H

Nutrition Facts

Calories

625

Protein

12 g

Carbohydrates

48 g

Fat

45 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Chocolate puff pastry: Plain puff pastry + 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• Instead of Unsalted butter: Margarine
• Instead of Heavy cream: 35 % milk fat cream
• Instead of Whole milk: Semi‑skimmed milk
• Instead of Egg yolks: Whole eggs (add 1 extra white)
• Instead of Whole egg: 2 egg whites
• Instead of Cornstarch: Potato starch
• Instead of Unsalted butter: Margarine
• Instead of Granulated sugar: Cane sugar
• Instead of Granulated sugar: Cane sugar
• Instead of Dry beans or baking weights: Raw rice, Quinoa grains
• Instead of Parchment paper: Silicone sheet
• Instead of Flour: Fine semolina

Equipment Needed

• Rolling pin
• Oval tart ring 30 × 11 cm
• Oven
• Parchment paper
• Baking weights (dry beans)
• Medium saucepan
• Whisk
• Silicone spatula
• Mixing bowl
• Cooling rack
• Cooking thermometer (optional) (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Roll the pastry to 2‑3 mm thickness to avoid a too thick base.
• Blind bake the tart base to ensure crispness.
• Achieve an amber caramel without burning it.
• Bring the custard to a boil only once to avoid egg coagulation.
• Do not overcook the flan during the final bake.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Lightly dust the pastry scraps with powdered sugar and caramelise them in the oven for a crunchy garnish.
• Use 70 % dark chocolate in the puff pastry for a more intense flavour.
• Serve the flan with a small quenelle of whipped cream or a chocolate sauce.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in the refrigerator, covered, 3 to 4 days.

Freezer: Not recommended: the creamy texture deteriorates.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than one hour after cooling.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Blind bake the tart base and keep it refrigerated for 24 h before filling.
• Prepare the caramel and the pastry cream separately, then assemble just before the final bake.
• The flan stores well chilled; it can be made the day before.