Happy Bastille Day - Flan aux pruneaux et aux poires - Prune & Pear Flan

What are you doing today to celebrate Bastille Day? there are numerous degustation lunches, dinners and celebrations on around Sydney. Perhaps you are attending one?



Paris
I'd love to be able to say that today I was going to be wandering down the cobblestone streets of Paris, baguette in one hand and a bag full of pastries and cheese in the other , but alas, I am heading to work instead. Since today is a celebration for the French I thought I'd share with you some of my favourite photos from our trip to France. 



I love cats - Paris
Laduree, Paris
Paris
Speaking of all things French, I have a gorgeous French prune and pear flan recipe to share with you all courtesy of the new cookbook Taste Le Tour by Australian Frenchman Gabriel Gate. It was also the perfect dessert to include in the latest Cookbook Challenge whose theme was 'Dessert'. Gabriel explains that the flan recipe is by Pierrick Boyer from the Brittany Region. Here is a small excerpt about the flan from his new book:


"Almost every French bakery and pastry shop sells one or several varieties of this classic tart from Brittany. With their pastry base, baked custard and fruit filling they are a firm family favourite - and children love them "



Ingredients
A layer of puff pastry, about 25 cm square
200 g caster sugar
40 g plain flour
4 eggs
1 cup thickened cream
1 cup milk
1 large poached pear, cored and cut into 1 cm segments
6 prunes, cut into small pieces

Note: I didn't have any thickened cream and so I used a slightly different custard recipe. But I have included the original recipe here for you. 



Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line an 18 cm tart ring with the layer of puff pastry. Don’t trim the edges.



Line the inside of the flan with baking paper and fill with rice. Bake in preheated oven at 180°C for about 10-15 minutes or until the pastry is cooked.

In a bowl mix caster sugar with plain flour. Mix in 2 eggs until smooth, then mix in the other 2 eggs, the cream and milk.


Garnish the cooked pastry with poached pear segments and the 6 prunes cut into pieces. Then carefully fill the pastry shell with the custard. There will be a bit left over that you can bake separately in a porcelain dish if you wish. Bake the flan in the preheated oven at 180°C for 15-20 minutes until set.

Trim the edges of the pastry. Transfer the flan to a cake base or plate and remove the metal ring.





As Gabriel would say.... Voila!



Tell me, what are you up to today?

Comments

  1. I love your photos! There aren't many cities in the world that don't need a name to identify them and Paris is certainly one of them. I want to go back right now.

    The pear and prune combination is tantalizing. I must make one soon!

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  2. Very good timing for this! Mr NQN is about to settle in for an evening watching the TdF. Gorgeous and luscious looking tart! :)

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  3. Allons enfants de la patrie... Vive la France!!! Your recipe looks perfect!

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  4. I have quite a few pears and need something to do with them... this looks delicious!

    I wish I was doing the same thing in Paris... but stuck at work :( BOO HOO!

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  5. Love your blog and pics. Keep up the great work.

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  6. Thanks everyone. This combo really was delicious. I hope you can all try it some time :)

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