Flan (pie)

Not to be confused with crème caramel, also known as flan or flan de leche.

A flan, in British cuisine, is an egg-based dish with an open, rimmed pastry or sponge base containing a sweet or savoury filling. Examples are bacon and egg flan and custard tart.

Flan

A slice of flan on a plate
Type	Dessert or snack
Place of origin	Europe
Region or state	Global
Associated cuisine	Roman cuisine
Serving temperature	Room temperature or cold
Cookbook: Flan   Media: Flan

History

Flan is recorded in Ancient Roman cuisine.^[1] It was often a savory dish, as in "eel flan"; sweet flans were also enjoyed.

In the Middle Ages, both sweet and savory flans (almonds, cinnamon and sugar; cheese, curd, spinach, fish) were popular in Spain and across Europe, especially during Lent, when meat was forbidden.^[2]

Etymology

The English word "flan", and the earlier forms "flaune" and "flawn", come from the Old French flaon (modern French flan), in turn from the early Medieval Latin fladō (accusative fladōnem), of Germanic origin, from an Indo-European root meaning "flat" or "broad".^[3]

See also

• Food portal

• Flan cake
• Flaó
• List of pies, tarts and flans
• Quiche