Want a delicious flan without ending on too heavy a note? This vanilla version skips the dough and cream, while maintaining a generous texture. A simple recipe, with only a few ingredients, which could well find its place in your snacks.
The recipe for light vanilla flan without dough
Vanilla flan remains one of the most comforting desserts. But in its classic pastry version, between the dough and the cream, the bill can quickly add up. Hence the interest in this light recipe spotted by the Marmiton site on the Instagram account @lacuisinieredenormandie.
Here, no dough or cream: 1 liter of milk, 4 eggs, 80 g of sugar, 100 g of cornstarch and a sachet of vanilla sugar. The creator presents this recipe as “the perfect dessert to indulge yourself without too many calories”. Cornstarch helps thicken the preparation and maintains a melting texture.
The preparation is very simple. Start by heating the milk in a saucepan until boiling.
Meanwhile, whisk the eggs with the sugar. Then add the cornstarch little by little, then the vanilla sugar. Gradually pour the hot milk into the mixture, while whisking to avoid lumps forming.
Then return the preparation to medium heat. Mix constantly until the cream thickens and takes on a texture similar to that of a flan.
Pour the mixture into a cake mold covered with baking paper. Bake for 30 minutes at 200°C. The top should be nicely browned.
Once cooked, let the flan cool completely, then place it in the refrigerator for at least two hours. This step is important so that it firms up while retaining its melting core.
Vanilla flan: is it really lower in calories?
It’s difficult to talk about a “light” dessert without looking at what it actually contains. According to the Le Journal des Femmes website, a portion of reasonably sweet vanilla flan provides around 118 kcal.
For its part, the 750g site relays a flan recipe proposed by dietician Hanna Bensemhoun. Its light version goes from around 304 kcal to 110 kcal per part, thanks to a modification of the ingredients.
@lacuisinieredenormandie’s recipe is based on the same principle: removing the dough allows you to reduce the quantities of butter and sugar, while the absence of cream limits saturated fats. The milk and eggs nevertheless provide softness and give the flan its generous texture.
Be careful, however: “dough-free” does not mean calorie-free. Sugar, milk and eggs always provide it. The interest of this recipe is above all to offer a simpler and potentially less rich version than a classic pastry flan.
How to vary the vanilla flan recipe?
If you want to modify the recipe further, several alternatives exist.
The 750g site notably offers a three-ingredient version imagined by Hanna Bensemhoun, based on vegetable vanilla yogurt, cornstarch and applesauce without added sugar. An interesting option for those looking to limit dairy or added sugar.
For its part, the Hervé Cuisine site offers a pastry-free flan sweetened with stevia. Again, the idea is to reduce the amount of sugar while retaining the vanilla flavor.
Finally, to accompany this dessert without making it too heavy, the Marmiton website suggests fresh fruit or a homemade raspberry coulis. A simple way to add a fruity touch!