STEP 1: CREAM THE EGGS
Put egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of the stand mixer and mix on medium to medium high (about 6-8 on a Kitchen Aid). Mix until the mixture lightens in colors, is creamy in texture, and increases to a light fluffy volume.

STEP 2: BOIL THE MILK
Pour the whole milk and heavy cream into a stove pot. Add vanilla beans or extract. Whisk in the corn starch. Bring the milk mixture to a boil slowly while whisking constantly. Don't whisk fast, just keep the milk mixture moving. The milk mixture will begin to thicken. Keep whisking until you feel it is very thick.


STEP 3: TEMPER THE EGGS
Pour the boiling milk mixture into a large milk pot or mixing bowl with a lip so you can control the pour. Drizzle the hot milk mixture into the creamed eggs in the stand mixer with it mixing on medium to medium-low. - You want to mix in the milk without cooking the eggs., but if the speed is too high the milk will splash all over as it pours. It is best to drizzle it down the side of the bowl to prevent splashing. This is about a 4-6 on a Kitchen Aid mixer.

STEP 4: COOK THE CUSTARD
Pour the custard back into the pot on the stove. Cook the custard on medium to medium high heat bringing the temperature up slowly while whisking continuously. Continue cooking and whisking as the custard thickens until you must use more effort to whisk strongly.

STEP 5: STRAIN THE CUSTARD
Pour the custard through a wire mesh strainer into a clean mixing bowl


STEP 6: REFRIGERATE THE CUSTARD
Cover the custard with plastic film touching the surface to prevent forming a skin.
Let the custard set in the refrigerator until completely cool - about 1 hour.

STEP 7: BAKE THE CUSTARD
Whisk the chilled custard to loosen it up and pour the custard into the prepared crust in the flan pan. Put the custard into the preheated oven (425F) and bake until the top forms a golden brown crust - 45-60 minutes.

STEP 8: COOL THE CUSTARD TO ROOM TEMPERATURE
When golden brown on top, remove from the oven (carefully - it will still be very "loose" and jiggly. This is normal. It isn't finished when you remove it from the oven. It needs to set. Set it aside to cool and let it cool to room temperature - about 1-2 hours.

STEP 9: REFRIGERATE THE CUSTARD TO SET FIRM
When the flan is cooled to room temperature, put the pan in the refrigerator and let it set a full 8-12 hours.

STEP 1: DRY INGREDIENTS
Whisk together dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

STEP 2: INCORPORATE FAT
Cut the fats into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter. Add the diced fats a little at a time. As you cut them in make sure the diced bits are separated and coated with flour. Do this with the cutter or cold utensils - not your warm hands.

STEP 3: EGGS & VANILLA
Whisk vanilla in with the egg yolks then mix this into the dry ingredients with a whisk and pastry cutter. Evenly distribute the egg and keep cutting the mixture to finer bits. Do not mash up the butter in the process- just cut. In the end the mixture should be like a grainy meal (not dough).

STEP 4: LIQUID
Slowly mix in the cold milk or water with the whisk and pastry cutter. Do not mash - just keep cutting up the mixture into grains. You want just enough liquid for the pieces to start to stick together. At this point use a spatula to gently form a ball of shaggy dough.

STEP 5: DOUGH BALL
Turn out the ball of shaggy dough from the bowl onto the floured pastry matt. Handling it as little as possible, shape up the ball then cut the ball in half. One half makes the bottom pie crust. The other half makes the top crust or a second bottom crust.

STEP 6: CHILL & SET
Wrap both dough balls in plastic and place them in the refrigerator to rest and chill for at least two hours. If you like, make the dough ahead of time and use it the next day or two.

STEP 7: BRING DOUGH TO ROOM TEMPERATURE
Remove the 4dough from the refrigerator and set aside at room temperature for 30-60 minutes until it is at room temperature while you preheat the oven.

If it is too cold, it will crack when you roll it.

If it is too warm, the butter will get soft and the pie crust will be ruined. I find it best to test by hand.

When it is not hard to the touch, but not so soft to squeeze, it is ready to use. If it actually squeezes or feels soft, it is too warm. You only want it to get to about 68-72F (not 75-80 which can happen easily in the south or if your kitchen is warm from cooking. In that case, de-chill it in another room, like the dining room.

STEP 8: FORM THE PIE CRUST
1) Put a ball of dough on a floured pastry mat and gently press and spread with your hands spreading it into a circle. Use the rolling pin to finish spreading the circle.
2) Roll the circle of dough around your rolling pin and unroll it over the flan pan.
3) Press to fit it into the pan.
4) Cover the crust in the pan with plastic wrap (touching the dough) and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

STEP 9: BLIND BAKE
If you don't blind bake your crust chances are it will not be all the way done after baking your dessert or it could get soggy too - depending on what you're making.

Prick tiny holes in the crust all over with a fork. This keeps it from getting puffy.

Put a layer of parchment paper over the crust and fill it with pie ball or beans.

Put the crust into the preheated oven at 375F for 15-20 minutes.

Bake uncovered until light golden.

Let the crust cool to either room temp or match the temp of your filling.

Your crust is ready to use.

SEE THE PATEE SUCRE RECIPE AND NOTES AT /PASTRY/PATEE SUCREE