You don't have to teach us Belgians anything more about cakes and pastries. One of the oldest pies is probably the flan. Known as a truly regional product, with recipes that vary by city district, Ghent's flan cake was already a popular dish in the 16th century. Back then, they appeared on the table on festive occasions. Ghent flan even traveled the world in some of Bruegel's famous paintings. The recipe may be ancient, but the taste is still a hit and today's preparation applications are numerous. The peasant wedding pictured is a 1567 or 1568 painting by Brabant Renaissance painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder.© WIKIPEDIA
Pour the baking mix into a mixing bowl. Add 500 ml of boiling water. Mix briefly with a whisk or spoon for one minute. Allow to infuse for five minutes. Mix well after with a whisk (one minute) or blender (a few seconds) until when most of the lumps are gone. Butter a round aluminum or stone baking dish (Ø 20 cm x 5 cm) well before pouring in the preparation. Bake for 30-35 minutes in a preheated electric (200°C) or hot air oven (180°C).
Fancy flan but no baking oven nearby? Follow the preparation instructions on the package, but place the baking mixture in the microwave afterwards. Be sure to use a resistant or porcelain bowl and do not pour the preparation too close to the edge so that the flan can rise during heating. Warm the mixture for ten minutes at 300 watts. Do not be alarmed should the mixture still be somewhat liquid inside. This will continue to rise as the flan cools.
Fancy topping your favorite ice cream or pastries with a coulis of Ghent flan? It's very simple. You follow the preparation instructions on the package, but place the mixture directly in the fridge without baking. After one night, this will give you a creamy and flavorful flan coulis that you can pour over your dessert. Surprise your guests and doubly enjoy a well-deserved flavor bomb. You can also make this coulis perfectly with leftover preparation.
Would you like to return nostalgically to the time when flan stirring was still an extremely intensive kitchen task? And experience for yourself why, in addition to already crumbling all the ingredients, we made Ghent flan easier to prepare? Then forget for a moment the above preparation instructions of the classic flan pastry, as also mentioned on the packaging, but mix the baking powder with cold water in a pot. Warm the mixture with a whisk while stirring until boiling. Stir well at the bottom to avoid burning. Afterwards, stir from the stove for one more minute. Same taste and texture are guaranteed. Afterwards, pour the preparation into an oven bowl and follow the standard baking instructions for a flan pastry. Don't forget to spoon out the cooking pot. Or do you prefer warm flan pudding or spreadable flan paste? Then read on below.
Meanwhile you brought the baking mix to a boil via the stove? You didn't forget to continue stirring on your countertop for one minute afterwards? Spoon the flan into glass bowls, sprinkle with chocolate chips or almond flakes if desired, and enjoy this hearty flan pudding warm.
Mixing nostalgically will also give you a unique and tasty spread. Leave the paste uncooked for two hours in the fridge. Then spread it on all your favorite comfort foods. Tastes delicious between sponge cakes and profiteroles or on a pancake.