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Valrhona Guanaja Flan
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Valrhona Guanaja & Sesame Praliné Flan

Prep Time1 hour 35 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Freeze for4 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Keyword: Confections, Dark Chocolate, Pastry, Sesame
Difficulty: Advanced
Brand: Valrhona
Servings: 1 14cm-diameter flan

Equipment

  • 14cm dessert ring
  • Stand Mixer
  • Spatula
  • Paddle Attachment

Ingredients

Cocoa Shortcrust Pastry

  • 30 g Almond flour
  • 90 g Confectioner’s sugar
  • 25 g Cocoa powder
  • 2 g Fine salt
  • 210 g All-purpose flour
  • 120 g Butter
  • 50 g Egg

Crunchy Sesame & Fleur de Sel Praliné

  • 15 g Sesame seeds
  • 60 g Almond or Hazelnut Praline
  • 15 g Black sesame paste
  • 1 g Fleur de sel

Vanilla Flan Mix

Guanaja 70% Flan Mix

Instructions

Step 1: Cocoa Shortcrust Pastry

  • Use the paddle attachment in a stand mixer to combine the almond flour, confectioner’s sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and flour.
  • Sift them, then add in the cold cubed butter and mix until they have a sandy texture.
  • Add the egg to the mixture.
  • Stop mixing once the dough is smooth and even.
  • Roll out the dough to a depth of 3mm, cut out a 14cm circle and a 5cm tall strip, which you will use later to make the edges of the flan shell.
  • Leave in the freezer for 3 hours.

Step 2: Crunchy Sesame & Fleur de Sel Praliné

  • Place the sesame seeds on a baking pan, then put the pan in the oven at 300°F (150°C) for approx. 10 minutes.
  • Mix the 50% almond & hazelnut crunchy nutty praliné with all the other ingredients and toasted sesame seeds, then set aside.

Step 3: Vanilla Flan Mix

  • Pour the milk, cream, and vanilla bean seeds into a saucepan.
  • Mix the sugar and cornstarch, then add 50g of the milk and cream mixture.
  • Bring the rest of the milk and cream mixture to a boil.
  • Pour approx. one third of the boiling liquid into the sugar and starch mixture, stir them together, then pour them into a saucepan.
  • Bring to a boil and use straightaway.

Step 4: Guanaja 70% Flan Mix

  • Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan.
  • Mix the cornstarch and sugar, then add 50g of the milk and cream.
  • Bring the rest of the milk and cream mixture to a boil.
  • Pour approx. one third of the boiling liquid into the sugar and starch mixture, stir them together, then pour them into a saucepan.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil and pour it onto the melted GUANAJA 70% chocolate, stirring them together with a spatula.
  • Use immediately.

Assembly and Finishing

  • Grease the dessert ring, then press the cocoa shortcrust pastry into it.
  • Layer on an ovenproof sheet of plastic, then put in place some rice, lentils, or something similarly weighty, so that the case’s edges don’t collapse during baking.
  • Bake the pastry at 300°F (150°C) for approx. 25 minutes.
  • Leave to cool, then remove the weight and plastic sheet.
  • Spread the crunchy sesame seed and fleur de sel praliné onto the pastry, followed by the vanilla flan and the GUANAJA 70% flan mix.
  • Let the flan rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before baking it at 355°F (180°C) for 25 minutes.
  • Leave to cool, turn out, and serve cold.
    • Freezing the shortcrust pastry makes lining the flan tin easier. This is because the pastry warms to room temperature very quickly. By using it straight out of the freezer, the pastry retains its thickness when it is being applied to the tin, and it will also bake evenly.