Vanilla praliné flan

After my absence I had to come back with a new flan! This time it's very vanilla flavored since not only the cream is flavored with vanilla praliné (inspired by Cédric Grolet's recipe), but also the shortbread. For the shortbread I was inspired by a Valrhona recipe, if you wish you can double the quantities and pipe the rest of the dough or simply cut them out with a cookie cutter once the dough is cold. For the cream I once again adapted Julien Delhome's flan recipe, the best in my opinion, by reducing the sugar and adding the praliné 😊 The result is a well-flavored and creamy flan on a crispy shortbread, in short a delight! Of course you can replace the vanilla praliné with the one of your choice: hazelnut, almond, pecan, pistachio...
 
 

 
 Prep time : 45 minutes + 55 minutes cooking + rest
 For an 18cm flan :

 

Vanilla praliné :

 250g almonds
 140g sugar
 40g vanilla beans already emptied of their seeds
 2g flower of salt
 
You will have too much praliné, you are free to reduce the proportions but you must have a minimum quantity to be able to mix the mixture correctly.

 Roast the almonds with the vanilla beans at 150°C for 10 to 15 minutes (the beans must be quite dry).
 Prepare a dry caramel with the sugar, then pour it over the almonds and vanilla beans. Let it cool completely.
 Then, mix the whole until you obtain a praliné and add the fleur de sel.
 
 

 
 

Praline shortbread :  

80g butter
 35g muscovado sugar
 25g whole milk
 40g vanilla praliné
 125g flour
 
 Mix the softened butter and the muscovado sugar.
 
 

 
 Meanwhile, warm the milk and add it to the vanilla praliné. Stir the milk/praliné into the butter/sugar mixture.
 
 

 
 Finally add the flour, form a ball and then crush it lightly, wrap it in cling film and place it in the fridge for at least 1 hour (if you can leave it longer, it will be easier to work with).
 
 

 

 
 Then, spread it out and put it in a circle of 18cm diameter and 6cm height, previously buttered and placed on a baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
 
 

 
 

Vanilla praliné cream:

 1 egg
 3 egg yolks
 600g liquid cream
 200g whole milk
 1 vanilla bean
 150g vanilla praliné
 110g brown sugar
 60g cornstarch
 40g butter
 
 Heat the milk with the cream and the seeds of the vanilla bean.
 Whisk the egg, egg yolks and sugar, then add the cornstarch. Pour half of the milk on top, then pour it back into the pan.
 
 

 

 
 Thicken over medium heat, whisking constantly. Then, off the heat, add the butter cut into small pieces and the praliné.
 
 

 
 Put a plastic wrap on the cream and let it cool completely.

 

Cooking & finishing :

 A little vanilla praliné
 
 Pour the vanilla praliné cream over the shortbread, then bake for 40 minutes at 180°C.
 
 

 
 Let cool completely before unmolding, and decorate with praliné before enjoying!