During a Netflix binge of Chef's Table: Pastry, I was inspired to make a few things. One being my Vicky Mess cake, the other being a bake which was infused with the flavour of something we are so used to but not necessarily in typical form we're used to. When I say infused with a flavour, I don't mean a specific isolated flavour or spice like vanilla or cinnamon. I wanted to use the flavour of something in entirety, so I thought tea! We brew and sometimes stew it in water to flavour it before adding a dash of milk. Could I infuse a liquid with its flavour and bake with it? What though? Rather then go full Heston on a recipe I looked towards my recipe for Flan Pâtissier. What could be better than a custard tart which is tea flavoured? Although the recipe for the custard is unchanged from the Flan, the tea does make the tart seem a little less sweeter and adds a lot more depth to the overall taste. I guarantee this will be a hit for anyone who is known to be a totally tea-holic.
Serves 12
Hands-on Time inc. Chilling 90 minutes
Baking Time 45 minutes
Ingredients
8 Tea bags
475ml Full-fat milk
1 Egg, medium
2 Egg yolks, medium
100g Caster sugar
30g Light brown sugar
Fine salt, pinch
50g Cornflour
170ml Single cream
20g Unsalted butter
Equipment
Saucepan with a lid
Spatula
Rolling pin
20cm Loose bottomed flan tin
Sharp knife
1 Large bowl
Hand whisk (silicone if possible)
Large saucepan
Measuring jug
Clingfilm
Baking sheet
Wire rack
Add 475ml of milk to a saucepan and place over a medium-high heat until it’s steaming.
Turn off the heat, add 8 tea bags, give a quick stir and cover with a lid to sit for 15 minutes.
When the time has passed, remove the teabags. Ensure you squeeze them over the milk so you infuse it with as much tea flavour as possible.
When you’re ready to make the flan, remove the pastry from fridge and unfold the clingfilm.
With the dough still between the clingfilm, roll out into a circle.
Take the flan tin, placing the dough inside to see if it's big enough to line the base and sides.
When you think you've rolled the dough out enough, remove the top layer of clingfilm.
Flip the dough over into the tin and adjust so it's centred.
With the clingfilm still on, press the dough into the corners and sides of the tin.
Carefully remove the clingfilm and run a sharp knife around the edge of the tin, cutting off any excess dough.
Place the tin in the fridge to chill for at least 60 minutes.
In the meantime get on with making the custard.
Whisk together the eggs (whole and yolks), sugars, and salt in a large bowl until light and foamy.
Add the cornflour and whisk again until thick.
Measure the tea infused milk. You will need 400ml. If you don’t have enough, top up with a little extra milk.
Pour 400ml of tea infused milk back into the saucepan along with the cream, and butter and place over a medium-high heat.
Stir the milk mixture with a spatula until the butter has melted and it’s gently bubbling.
Remove for the heat.
Whilst whisking the egg mixture slowly add the milk.
Continue whisking after the milk has been incorporated.
You are looking to have a very thick wobbly custard, so add the mixture back to the pan and place over a low heat. Stir continuously until it thickens up. The key thing is to keep stirring so you don’t get any lumps. Remove the pan from the heat once thick enough and transfer back into the bowl.
Place the clingfilm directly over the top of the custard to stop a skin from forming and leave to cool.
In the meantime preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C(Fan)/375°F/Gas mark 5 and place a baking sheet on the middle shelf to heat up.
When you’re ready to bake the flan, remove the tin from the fridge.
Add the custard to the centre of the tin and spread out to the sides so you have an even top.
Carefully place onto the baking sheet on the middle shelf of the oven for 15 minutes.
Once the time is up reduce the temperature to 170°C/150°C(Fan)/325°F/Gas mark 3 and bake for a further 30 minutes.
The flan should have a beautifully browned top.
Remove the flan from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.
Once the flan has fully cooled it’s recommended leaving it in the fridge overnight to develop its flavour further. That’s provided you can wait that long.
Enjoy!
