The Parisian Flan, a Custard Tart on a Thin Shortcrust Pastry!

This week, the Kaempff-Kohler downtown shop team is highlighting a classic pastry: the Parisian flan.

This symbolic tribute to the first Kaempff-Kohler store at the same address, which was a pastry shop, draws from the classic annals of the confectionary art.

The oldest trace of a tart resembling the flan seems to come from the Hauts-de-France region, in Amiens, where a “dariole” is mentioned as early as the 13^th century.

References to flan tarts are then found dating back to the coronation banquet of Henry IV of England in 1399.

Today, flan is a classic pastry found all over the world in different forms and under different names, such as the pastel de nata (on puff pastry) in Portugal or the custard tart in the United Kingdom.

The custard tart is made from a mixture of beaten eggs, fresh cream, and sugar (called “la migaine” in Lorraine).

It takes on various appearances, according to taste: caramel, coconut, or even candied fruits, following an old 19th-century recipe from the Champagne region.

Placed on a thin shortcrust pastry, the preparation is called a Parisian flan, to distinguish it from the true custard tart, which is made without a pastry base.

#kaempffkohler #luxembourg #pastry #flan #custardtart #parisianflan #pasteldenata #custardtart #migaine #dariole

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This week, the team from our shop in the city center is showcasing a classic pastry: the Parisian flan.

This symbolic tribute to the very first Kaempff-Kohler store at the same address—which was originally a pastry shop—draws from the rich traditions of classic pâtisserie.

The earliest known version of a tart resembling the flan appears to come from northern France, in Amiens, where a “dariole” is mentioned as early as the 13th century.

There are also references to flan tarts dating back to the coronation banquet of Henry IV of England in 1399.

Today, flan is a classic pastry found all over the world in various forms and under different names, such as the pastel de nata (on puff pastry) in Portugal or the custard tart in the United Kingdom.

Flan pâtissier is made from a mixture of beaten eggs, cream, and sugar—known as la migaine in Lorraine.

It can take on many flavours depending on taste: caramel, coconut, or even candied fruits, following an old 19th-century recipe from the Champagne region.

When placed on a thin shortcrust pastry base, the preparation is called flan parisien, to clearly distinguish it from the traditional flan pâtissier, which is made without any tart crust.