Make this easy fruit flan with a soft pastry base, creamy custard and fresh seasonal fruit. A simple, impressive dessert that’s perfect for any occasion.
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If you've been visiting for a while then you'll know that there is one very very big difference between me and Will. While I could eat cake every day for the rest of my life and be quite happy, he's not a cake lover at all.
He'll have a slice if it looks particularly good and someone serves it to him but that's as far as he goes.
I got out the Women's Weekly Birthday Cake Book this year and told him to pick a cake for his Birthday. He took one glance at the book and said 'I don't like cake, could I have a fruit flan please?'
I guess I'll have to save the Birthday cake book for when my baby is old enough to choose. My challenge was set.
Now this is not the first challenge Will has set me for his Birthday. A couple of years ago he asked for a zombie head for his Halloween party cake.
I'll have to admit, I had a little too much fun making it and the Birthday boy was very happy with it so mission accomplished even if it did just look like a scary monster head.
The fruit flan on the other hand... I was seriously nervous. I haven't had much luck with tart pastry and I've never made a successful custard.
Plus I had Will asking me every second day how the tart prep was going and giving extra instructions like 'the custard has to be firm not sloppy.' Oh the pressure!
You can imagine my state when I peeked in the oven as the pastry was baking to see this horrible mess. It had started a little earlier when I rolled out the pastry, picked it up to drape over the tin and it broke up into a million pieces.
This was already round two and it wasn't looking good.
Luckily I started a day ahead so had time to go and buy some short crust pastry as a back up.
I made a new shell on the day of his Birthday but lo and behold, the original melty shell, while being perhaps a little too thick (think a layer of biscuit) seemed to have formed rather nicely and a taste test of the off cuts/melted bits received a thumbs up (from me).
Before making the custard filling I read and re-read the recipe about 8 times, had all the ingredients measured out and lined up in order of use, all the utensils ready and I set to work.
I carefully whisked the mixture over the saucepan and it thickened just like in the recipe. I took it off the stove and added more ingredients and it stayed nice and smooth just like it was supposed to.
After a little longer on the stove I had successfully made the custard and quickly spread it into the shell.
I delicately prepped the fruit and must admit, had a bit of fun placing it on top of the tart. After brushing the flan with melted apricot jam I stood back and admired my work. I was actually very pleased with myself.
Despite being so very nervous and quietly cursing Will and his abnormal request I was happy for the challenge.
I texted him 'The tart looks rather perfect if I do say so myself. Thanks for the challenge Birthday Boy.' The real test still laid ahead though. Would it live up to the Birthday Boy's expectations?
I think it may have exceeded them because he loved it and he's not one of those people who will say he loves it even if he doesn't really and if he did I'd see straight through the lie.
A few bites into my own slice I had to admit, I'd made a seriously good fruit flan and I'm not even a fruit flan lover (opposites remember).
I make it out to be difficult but really this flan isn't that hard to make it just has a bit of resting time in between steps.
It doesn't use complicated ingredients and you can let your creativity go wild with the decoration. It's the perfect Birthday 'cake' for the non cake lover. Enjoy!
Recipe
Fruit flan
Ingredients
Pastry
- 200 g unsalted butter at room temperature
- 200 g pure icing confectioners sugar
- 1 free-range egg
- 2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 ½ tablespoon milk
- 250 g plain all-purpose flour
Creme Patisserie
- 3 free-range egg yolks
- 65 g 2oz caster sugar separated into 30g and 35g
- 250 ml 1 cup full-fat milk
- 23 g corn flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 25 g butter at room temperature and cut into walnut-sized cubes
- Fresh fruit for topping (I used blueberries, strawberries and kiwi fruit)
- Apricot jam for glazing
Instructions
Pastry
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until creamy and light then add the egg, vanilla and milk and mix to combine.
- Slowly add the flour until the mixture just comes together. I had to add a bit more to mine because it seemed way too wet.
- Lay out a large sheet of plastic wrap, shape the dough into a disc and wrap it up then refrigerate for at least an hour or until firm.
- Pre heat the oven to 180C fan-forced (390F) and grease and line the base of your tart tin.
- Flour the bench and get the rolling pin ready then take the dough out of the fridge and quickly roll it out to about 6mm thickness.
- Gently lift it over the tart tin and press it in then trim so there is about 1cm of extra dough around the side. Pop it back in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- Prick the dough all over with a fork then line it with aluminium foil and fill with pie weights (I use dried beans that I keep in a container in the fridge and re-use).
- Bake for 15 minutes and then remove the weights and foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until golden and firm.
- Leave to cool in the tin on a wire rack.
Filling
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and 35g of caster sugar.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, corn flour, vanilla and 30g of the sugar then bring it to a boil over low heat, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble.
- Keep whisking and immediately remove from the heat.
- Slowly, while whisking the egg mixture, pour the hot milk mixture into the egg.
- Pour it all back into the saucepan and keep whisking over low heat until the mixture is thick and starts to boil then remove from the heat into another clean bowl.
- Place the bowl in an ice-bath to cool.
- When it comes to 60C (150F) add the butter and whisk until smooth then spread the filling into the pastry.
- Arrange the fruit on top.
- Microwave the apricot jam for 30 seconds at a time until smooth and then strain it and brush over the top of the fruit to glaze.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set (at least an hour).
- Serve chilled or at room temperature depending how your recipient requests it.
Nutrition
Stephanie@Henry Happened says
While I'm a cake person myself, this fruit flan doesn't sound half bad!
Claire says
I'm with you Stephanie!
Debbie Trevino says
I make a fruit pizza out of a large sugar cookie frosted with cream cheese frosting and topped with fruit. It looks like your fruit flan. I'm going to have to make your recipe.
My sons best friend has requested it for her next birthday instead of apple pie that I usually make for her.
Claire says
What a great idea Debbie!
The Life of Clare says
How I love a fruit flan! But I've never made one. I think I'm nervous about the custard. But now I'll have to give it a go!
Claire says
I was too Clare but this recipe was really easy. Good luck!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
How pretty is that fruit decoration on top? You'd never know that you had pastry dramas the day before! :o
Claire says
Thanks Lorraine! I managed to disguise it rather well :-)
celia says
Claire, a true labour of love, I'm sure Will appreciates it! And it looks absolutely stunning too, you could serve that to royalty, I reckon. :)
Claire says
He did indeed. Aww Celia you're too nice!