This German Fruit Flan recipe is deliciously refreshing showcasing a variety of fruit on light, lemony sponge cake. Bright citrus, fresh berries, and tropical kiwi are then glazed with apple jelly for that beautiful sheen!
If you’re looking for a showstopper dessert for special occasions in spring and summer, this fruit flan should be at the top of the list. It’s easily customizable using your favorite fruit, a breeze to make and fun for the kids. They’ll think they’re making fruit pizza!
This fresh fruit flan also holds up well sitting out in the heat, making it perfect for potluck BBQs! It's a wonderful follow-up to these Southwest Black Bean Burgers, Grilled Shrimp and Chicken Skewers, Halibut Broccolini and Zucchini Packets, and Grilled Rack of Lamb and Vegetables.
Jump to:
What is German Flan?
Flan happens to be quite well traveled with over a dozen countries putting their own spin on this ubiquitous dessert. It’s most commonly made as a sweet custard flavored with caramel or coffee.
Differences in versions around the globe stem from the type of dairy used or preparation method. However, the base of traditional German flan is a moist lemon-scented sponge cake. It's delicate yet firm enough to hold an array of fresh fruit.
The recipe was given to my mom by a good friend from Germany when I was in elementary school (a very long time ago!). I think every mom in the PTA at the time now has a yellowed index card of this recipe floating around somewhere, lol!
Ingredients
Flan Fruit
This fruit flan recipe is the perfect dessert to showcase beautiful seasonal fruit. I opted for the following but fruit combinations are endless!
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
- Blueberries
- Kiwi
- Cara cara oranges
Other great options are:
- Blackberries
- Grapes
- Pineapple
- Mango
- Plums
- Peaches
Sponge Cake & Flan Glaze
Just five simple ingredients are needed for the sponge cake: eggs, sugar, all-purpose flour, baking soda and fresh lemon juice (who counts a pinch of salt?). And for the glaze: apple jelly or apricot jam and corn starch. That’s it!
Making the Sponge Cake
The classic technique of making sponge cake begins with separated eggs. I used a hand mixer to whip the egg yolks with sugar, lemon juice and zest until thick and pale yellow. Egg whites are beaten separately in an electric mixer, then folded into the yolk mixture for a light, fluffy batter.
Then pour batter into a lightly greased tart pan with a removable bottom and bake until golden brown. Meanwhile, make the fruit glaze by simply simmering the jelly with corn starch over medium heat.
How to Decorate Flan
After baking, let the flan cool completely and let the decorating juices flow! This design consists of concentric circles starting from the outside edge and working inward toward the center.
When satisfied with your design, use a pastry brush to coat the arranged fruit when done decorating. Brushing on the fruit glaze will seal the fruit and make your flan shine. Refrigerate about 30 minutes to set then you're ready to go.
Serve with dollops of whipped cream, ala mode, or simply enjoy as is. Hope you love this traditional German dessert as much as we do. Cheers!
Fruit Flan Tips
- Place the tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper for easy clean up and to make sure no batter lands on the bottom of the oven.
- Have a decorating idea in mind before you start arranging the fruit so you're not moving it around after it's been placed.
- It’s best to use a light-colored jelly for flan so the brilliant hues of the fruit shine through. Apple, apricot and guava are good choices.
- Avoid covering the flan with plastic wrap! It sticks to the top and will mess up your masterpiece. Use a large bowl to create a dome or tent with aluminum foil.
German Fruit Flan FAQs
Absolutely! Make the sponge cake a day before topping with fruit and glazing. Let the cake cool completely then cover with aluminum foil and leave at room temperature. An undecorated sponge cake can also be frozen up to 3 months. Thaw before displaying fruit.
The flan will last in the refrigerator 3-4 days. The fruit will begin to break down making the sponge cake soggy after that time. I don’t recommend freezing the flan due to the high-water content of the fruit.
While German fruit flan is made with a sponge cake base, fruit tarts are made with a pie crust that’s filled with a rich pastry cream or cream cheese filling. Fruit is then arranged on top of the creamy filling and glazed like a German flan.
More Fruity Desserts to Try!
🌟Love the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card and/or a review in the Comments section below!
👋Stay in touch on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes! And subscribe above to join our email community for all the latest updates!
📋 Recipe
German Fruit Flan Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Flan
- 4 large eggs , yolks and whites separated
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 lemon , zest and juice
- ¼ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
Glaze
- ⅓ cup apple jelly , or apricot jam or guava
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
Topping (suggestions)
- 10 ounces strawberries , stemmed and sliced
- 4 ounces blueberries
- 4 ounces raspberries
- 2 kiwis , peeled and sliced
- 2 oranges , half-moon slices, peel and pith removed
Instructions
Flan
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease tart pan with removable bottom and place on a large, rimmed baking sheet.
- In a large bowl, beat egg yolks with sugar, lemon zest and juice until thick and light, 3-4 minutes.
- Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Stir into egg yolk mixture until combined.
- With clean beaters, in a medium bowl beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold beaten egg whites into egg yolk mixture with a spatula.
- Pour batter into prepared tart pan. Bake 16-18 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Set aside to cool before topping with fruit. (Can be made one day ahead of assembling. Cover and leave at room temperature.)
Glaze
- While the tart cools, in a small saucepan, bring jelly and cornstarch to a slow simmer. Let simmer 3-5 minutes until slightly thickened and fluid.
- Keep warm until ready to use. Glaze should brush on fruit smoothly.
Topping
- Arrange various fruits as desired. Ingredients listed are what I used. If you like this design, start from the outside and work your way toward the center.
- When satisfied, brush just enough of the glaze over the fruit for a shiny look. Too much glaze will make the flan heavy and soggy.
- Refrigerate uncovered 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Place the tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper for easy clean up and to make sure no batter lands on the bottom of the oven.
- Have a decorating idea in mind before you start arranging the fruit so you're not moving it around after it's been placed.
- It’s best to use a light-colored jelly for flan so the brilliant hues of the fruit shine through. Apple, apricot and guava are good choices.
- Cover with a large bowl or tent with foil and to chill. Do not use plastic wrap. It will stick and ruin your masterpiece!
Nutrition
Related Posts
This page contains affiliate links. Meaning, whenever you purchase an item after clicking an Amazon link through this website, we receive a small percentage from Amazon. It doesn’t cost anything extra to you! It simply helps maintain the blog. Thanks so much!
Comments
No Comments