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Published 1975
Flans, spelt flathons or flawns, were always made with cream and eggs, and go back at least to the fifteenth century, and probably earlier. Two recipes are given in the Harleian MSS., which translate, with almost no adaptation, as follows. The resulting flan is excellent.
Line a tin with pastry. Put a piece of greased paper in the centre, with a few haricot beans or crusts to weight it down and prevent the pastry rising. Bake blind in a hot oven (400° F., gas mark 6) for 10 minutes. Take the pastry case out of the oven, remove the paper, and spread a thin layer of strawberry or apricot jam on the bottom.
Warm the milk. Beat the eggs and sugar together in