Vanilla Parisian Flan

Step 1

To make the crust, mix the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (You can also make it in a large bowl with a pastry blender or your hands.) Add the cubes of cold butter and mix on medium speed until the pieces of butter are the size of large corn kernels. Add the egg and water and mix until the dough begins to come together. At this point, even if I'm using my stand mixer, I use my hands to gather and shape the dough into a disk. If necessary, add another teaspoon of water if the dough resists coming together but don't overwork it. Wrap the dough in plastic or your favorite eco-friendly alternative and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Step 2

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 15-inch (38cm) circle. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan so it covers the bottom and goes up the sides of the pan. Use your fingers to gently coax the dough into the corners of the pan (between the bottom and edges) then trim any dough overhanging over the top edges of the pan. Use your hands to patch and smooth any wrinkles or cracks. (The dough is quite forgiving once baked and filled so don't worry if it's not perfect.) Place the dough-lined cake pan in the freezer while you make the filling.

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).

Step 4

Pour the milk and cream into a large, heavy-duty saucepan (or Dutch oven). Split the vanilla bean(s) vertically and scrape the seeds into the milk mixture and also add the vanilla pods and the salt. Warm over medium heat.

Step 5

In a separate medium-size bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar, then whisk in the cornstarch.

Step 6

When the milk mixture is very warm, working quickly, pour half of the warm milk mixture over the eggs and quickly, and confidently, whisk well until combined. If you have someone in the kitchen to help you, this is a place to ask them to. But if you do this step without hesitation, you should be fine. (If you're unsure, you could ladle in the hot milk while whisking constantly.)

Step 7

Pour the warmed egg mixture back into the pan of warm milk and stir it leisurely with the whisk until it starts to thicken, which'll take about 5 minutes, but will depend on the heat. As it starts to thicken, things will move a bit more quickly and you'll want to whisk more vigorously to break up any lumps as it cooks. When the mixture comes to a full boil - a large bubble or two will break the surface - turn off the heat and pluck out the vanilla beans with tongs. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Step 8

Remove the tart shell from the freezer, scrape the pastry cream into the tart shell, smooth the top and place it in the oven. Bake the flan for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350ºF (180ºC) and bake for another 50 minutes. The top may get close to black, which is normal and fine.

Step 9

Let the flan cool on a wire rack. Once cool, chill in the refrigerator overnight before serving.