flan

Simplicity is often the golden rule of allowing seasonal fruits to shine – and this Strawberry Flaugnarde is the perfect example of this. Just like a Clafoutis, this classic French dessert is a custardy baked flan nestled with seasonal fruits. It’s tender and creamy in the center, with satisfyingly puffy and chewy rims. The best part: you only need a few basic baking ingredients (flour, sugar, eggs and milk) and fresh seasonal strawberries to recreate this delicious dessert in your own kitchen.

Known in France as “Flan Coco”, this famous Coconut Flan hails from the French Antilles. With the exotic flavors of coconut milk, shredded coconut and vanilla, this recipe may be a stretch from what you would expect of a classic French dessert, yet it is a very popular flan in mainland France too. Most French, myself included, love to indulge in the cuisine from the French Antilles Islands, and this flan may be one of their most beloved recipes to recreate at home.

When life gives you Apricots, make an Apricot Flaugnarde! This dessert hailing from the Limousin region, in south-central France, is a delicious variant of the Cherry Clafoutis – but made with Apricots. Resembling a large pancake, this dessert is made with seasonal stonefruits placed in a buttered dish, covered with a flan-like batter and baked until puffy. A “Clafoutis” is in fact the name given to this dessert when made with cherries, while “Flaugnarde” (also spelled Flognarde) is the name given when made with apricots, plums, peaches or apples and …

Once a Medieval dessert, the Blanc-Manger is a somewhat forgotten French dessert that surely deserves praise. The Blanc-Manger is a French dessert of sweetened cream and almond milk thickened with gelatin, and often topped with fresh fruit. Quick and easy,  it’s the perfect no-bake dessert that’s light and refreshing for the warmer days ahead!