We can’t say why we’ve not tried this until now, but there’s no going back.. this one’s a keeper. The custard is smooth, with a lovely texture; not too rich, nor cloyingly sweet. The vanilla complements the blood well, and the hint of cocoa adds a small, yet pleasant depth to the ensemble.

Overall, a fairly easy, straightforward, and unfussy recipe, combining a simple butter crust with a blood and cocoa custard. Think of it as the bloody, slightly moody sibling of the classic Flan Parisien.

Any blood will do here, but we were able to put our hands on a bit of goat’s blood from a farmer friend and it worked beyond expectations. Smoother, less salty than that of pig, it lends itself very well to desserts.

Here we go!

Blood Custard:

• 2 cups (500 ml) milk
• ½ cup (125 ml) sour cream / crème fraîche
• 100 ml (or slightly less than ½ cup) blood (goat was used, but pig / beef will also do)
• 1 vanilla pod (or vanilla essence)
• 80 grams caster sugar
• 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 50 grams cornstarch

Pastry Dough:

• 1½ cups flour (I used a mix of wholegrain wheat and spelt)
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup (180 ml) cold unsalted butter, diced into small cubes (or lard)
• ¼ cup (60 ml) milk
• 1 egg yolk (optional)

Method:

Crust

1. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter cubes and mix with your hands until you get a crumbly textured mixture. Add milk and egg yolk and work the dough a little to form a ball. Shape into a disc.
2. On a floured work surface, roll out pastry and line a 20 cm (8 inch) in diameter and 6-cm (2 ½-inch) deep springform pan. Press firmly.
3. With a fork, make little holes evenly placed on the bottom of the crust.
4. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes, or 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Flan

1. Sieve the blood to remove any clots.
2. In a small bowl, mix the corn starch and about half of the blood until there are no clumps.
3. In a sauce pan, pour the rest of the blood, the cream, sugar, cocoa, and vanilla pod split open (make sure you scrap the beans out and add them in too), as well as the blood / cornstarch mixture.
4. Turn the heat to medium high and bring to a simmer while whisking continuously until thickened.
5. Pour the cooled custard into the crust.
6. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 40 to 45 minutes or until custard is only slightly wobbly. Set the oven to broil and caramelize for about 5 minutes or until surface of custard is partially burnt.
7. Remove from the oven, allow to cool, and then refrigerate for 6 hours. Unmould and enjoy!

Notes and Tips:

Keep flan in the refrigerator, but let it temper before serving, so it will hold its shape.

Sources 
https://www.marmiton.org/recettes/recette_flan-patissier-traditionnel_15330.aspx