Perfect flan

Step 1

If you’re making your own pastry, start with that.

Step 2

Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then rub in the butter, or whizz it in a food processor – stop as soon as you can see no large pieces of butter.

Step 3

Stir in just enough water (you’ll need about two tablespoons) to bring the mix together into a smooth dough, then divide in half, and shape one half into a flat disc and the other into a flat rectangle.

Step 4

Wrap each piece of pastry individually, then chill for at least 30 minutes.

Step 5

Meanwhile, put the milk and cream in a medium saucepan.

Step 6

Slit open the vanilla pod(s) lengthways, then scrape out the seeds.

Step 7

Put the seeds and pod(s) in the milk pan and bring slowly to just below a simmer, stirring occasionally.

Step 8

Take off the heat, cover and leave to infuse for about an hour.

Step 9

Grease a 20cm solid deep pie dish (mine is 5cm tall).

Step 10

Roll out the pastry rectangle on a lightly floured surface to make a rectangle 1cm or so wider than your dish is deep and a little longer than the dish’s diameter.

Step 11

Trim the edges, then cut into two equal rectangular strips and use these to line the sides of the dish, pressing the join in the middle firmly until you can’t see it.

Step 12

Roll out the round piece of pastry, then use the base of the pie dish to help you cut out a neat round.

Step 13

Separate one of the whole eggs and, keeping the yolk aside, whisk the white until frothy.

Step 14

Paint this all over the pastry in the tin.

Step 15

Now lift in the base piece and press firmly to stick it down, so you can’t see the join.

Step 16

Cover and chill for at least an hour.

Step 17

Bring the vanilla-infused milk back to a simmer.

Step 18

Meanwhile, put the reserved egg yolk in a large heatproof bowl with the other two egg yolks, then add the three remaining whole eggs and anchor the bowl to the surface with a damp cloth.

Step 19

Put the cornflour in a small bowl, whisk in a little of the egg mix until smooth, then whisk this back into the egg mix, followed by the sugar

Step 20

Fish out the vanilla pod(s) – I wash them, dry them and use them to infuse sugar – then pour a little of the hot milk on to the eggs, whisking as you do so.

Step 21

Once thoroughly combined, whisk in the rest of the hot milk.

Step 22

Pour the lot back into the pan and bring back to a simmer, stirring continuously.

Step 23

As soon as the mix begins to bubble (you can stop stirring briefly to check this), stir for 30 seconds more, then take off the heat and leave to cool (I put the bowl in a sink of cold water to speed this up), stirring occasionally to stop a skin forming.

Step 24

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6 and, once it comes to temperature, line the pastry case with baking paper (scrunch it up first so it sits more easily) and baking or dry beans, or rice.

Step 25

Bake for 25 minutes, then remove, take out the beans and paper, brush the pastry with a thin layer of more egg white, then return the pastry case to the oven for another 10 minutes, until the base is golden.

Step 26

Remove and turn down the oven to 180C (160C fan)/gas 4, and give the case 10 minutes or so to cool down.

Step 27

Whisk the custard to bring it back together, or, for a really smooth custard, whizz it with a hand blender, then pour it into the shell, making sure you leave at least 1cm of pastry showing at the top.

Step 28

Carefully lift it into the oven and bake on a lower shelf for about an hour, until set but still with a wobble on top.

Step 29

Remove and leave to cool completely before slicing and serving.