The first recipe for flan pâtissier, also known as Parisian flan, dates back to Roman antiquity. Its composition has evolved and it wasn't until the early 20th century that it became the pastry tart we know today. The secret to a good flan? The use of quality raw materials: whole milk, sugar, fresh cream, eggs, cream powder and vanilla pods. While it's becoming easier and easier to find good ones in the Paris region, here are five that everyone agrees on.
After teaching at leading pastry schools, Stéphane Glacier, Best Pastry Craftsman in France in 2000, set up shop in the Hauts-de-Seine region, to the west of Paris: in Colombes, in 2008, then in Bois-Colombes, in 2021. On Saturdays, people come from all over to his shop, Pâtisseries et Gourmandises, to get their hands on beautifully made cakes, like the Petit Antoine (crispy praline, hazelnut dacquoise, creamy chocolate), or the more classic Saint- Honoré and Paris-Brest.
Our opinion: it's exactly the classic flan where every bite takes you back to childhood. The puff pastry is as crisp as you could wish, and the vanilla filling has a texture that's both smooth and creamy. What more could you ask for?
Price: €3.60.
Pâtisseries et gourmandises 39 Rue du Général-Leclerc, Bois-Colombes (Hauts-de-Seine).
After apprenticing as a pastry chef at the Hôtel George V restaurant and L'Ambroisie, at the age of 26 Kevin Lacote became head pastry chef at La Grande Cascade in Paris. After a few years at Hugo & Victor, he left to join chefs Glenn Viel and then Yannick Alléno. In 2016, Lacote opened his pastry shop-tea room in the capital, with the determination to create pastries without any coloring agents and adopting an eco-responsible approach (local producers, reduced plastic packaging etc.).
Our opinion: As success is always at hand, Lacote's flan recipe hasn't changed one iota since 2019. The ultra-crisp puff pastry is boosted before baking with a crushed dry caramel, while the flan filling has pronounced milky, vanilla flavors. A sure bet.
Price: €18 (for 4 people), €36 (for 6-8 people).
KL Pâtisserie, 78 Avenue de Villiers, Paris 17th arrondissement.
Taste first and foremost and cakes made with passion: These are Noémie Giorno's two mantras. An executive in a major French bank, she decided to leave everything behind to take up pastry craft. In 2019, she joined the Ferrandi School of Culinary Arts to cultivate her passion. Three years later, Giorno set up shop in Vincennes (department of Val-de-Marne, east of Paris), offering a small range of revisited classic cakes – Mont-Blanc, Tarte au Citron, Millefeuille – and sweet snacks – cookies, Babka, cake.
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