Description

This French Dark Chocolate Flan with Cocoa Crust is a decadent and elegant dessert combining a rich, velvety dark chocolate custard with a crisp cocoa-flavored tart base. Perfectly balanced between creamy and crunchy textures, this flan is ideal for chocolate lovers looking to impress with a sophisticated treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Chocolate Custard:

3 egg yolks
2 whole eggs
1 cup (200g) white sugar
⅓ cup (42g) cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups (600ml) whole milk
1 ¾ cups (400ml) heavy cream
7 oz (200g) dark chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon jam (for brushing on top)

Chocolate Tart Base:

1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
⅓ cup (35g) icing sugar
¼ cup (25g) cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 stick (114g) butter, melted
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

Make the Chocolate Tart Base: In a bowl, combine the flour, icing sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt the butter in the microwave and add it to the dry ingredients along with the vanilla extract. Mix until a smooth, thick paste forms. Knead the mixture into a dough for 3-4 turns, being careful not to overwork it. Flatten the dough into a large circle, slightly bigger than your pastry ring, using your hands or a small rolling pin. The edges don’t need to be perfect as they will be trimmed. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the top looks dry. Immediately press the pastry ring into the baked pastry like a large cookie cutter without removing the ring. If using a loose-bottomed cake pan, consult notes for adjustments.
Make the Chocolate Custard: Whisk the egg yolks, whole eggs, and sugar together for about 30 seconds until the mixture lightens slightly. Add the cornstarch and salt, whisking until smooth. Heat the milk and cream in a large saucepan over medium heat until steam starts rising. Slowly temper the egg mixture by adding a small amount of the hot milk mixture while whisking constantly. Gradually add more milk, whisking continuously to prevent cooking the eggs. Return the mixture to the saucepan and reduce heat to medium-low. Whisk continuously until the custard starts to bubble, then cook for 1-2 more minutes until thickened and able to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and strain if needed to remove lumps. Add chopped dark chocolate and whisk until fully melted and smooth.
Assemble the Chocolate Flan: Leave the pastry ring on the cooled tart and trim excess pastry from the edges. Lightly grease the inside of the ring with butter. Pour the chocolate custard into the ring, smoothing the top with a palette knife. Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes until the flan is set on the edges but still jiggles slightly in the center. Cool to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
Finishing Touches: Carefully remove the flan from the pastry ring; if it is difficult, run a sharp knife around the edges or warm the sides slightly. Melt 1 tablespoon of jam in the microwave for 20 seconds and brush a thin layer over the top for a glossy finish. Apricot or strawberry jam works well.

Notes

When using a loose-bottomed cake pan instead of a pastry ring, carefully remove the bottom after baking the tart base and before adding the custard to achieve the same effect.
Be careful not to overwork the tart dough to keep it tender.
Tempering the eggs is essential to avoid scrambled eggs in the custard.
The flan will continue to set as it chills; slight jiggle in the center after baking is expected.
Use a palette knife for smoothing the custard surface for a professional finish.
Brushing jam gives an attractive sheen and adds a subtle fruity note that complements the chocolate.