Crusted Chocolate Pecan Parisian Flan

Chocolate Flan Base Begin by preparing Michelle Palazzo’s Flakiest Pie Crust

Place chocolate, salt and vanilla extract in a large bowl to melt over a simmering pot of boiled water

Mix cream and sugars together in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Place cornstarch and flour into a small bowl and slowly whisk in milk to produce a thin slurry.

Whisk milk and cornstarch mixture together into the heated cream. Continuously whisk together until the custard thickens and bubbles (roughly 3-5 minutes)

Strain mixture onto melted chocolate and mix together

Pecan Praline Sauce Make a caramel with your sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook to a dark amber color. Once sugar is at desired color, toss in toasted pecans and salt. Quickly place onto a greased parchment lined sheet pan or pastry Silpat. Allow to fully cool.

Caramelizing Sugar: In a heavy-bottom, high-sided saucepan over low to medium-low heat, combine sugar and water until the sugar is completely saturated and beginning to dissolve. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved, and mixture just begins to simmer. After sugar dissolves and syrup is shimmering, cook for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, without stirring.

Once chilled using a food processor, break down until caramel pecan mixture resembles a thick peanut butter.

Pie Assembly: Set your oven to 350F

Place ½ of your praline sauce onto the bottom of your blind baked pie shell

Dot in whole pecans (roughly 20 pecans) into the praline sauce

Top with chocolate flan base

Bake for 1 hour and chill

Once chilled, top with remaining praline sauce and micro plane pecan ribbons on top