Flan Au Marmelade
"Κάμε μία πάστα διὰ πισκότα ὡς ἀνωτέρω χόνδρος μισοῦ περίπου δακτύλου καὶ βάλε την εἰς ἕνα μικρὸ ταψὶ ἢ εἰς ἕνα πιάτο τοῦ πάϊ. Σκέπασέ την μὲ μαρμελάδα ἀπὸ οἱονδήποτε φροῦτο, πάχος ἑνὸς δακτύλου καὶ κατόπιν σκέπασέ την μὲ λωρίδες ἀπὸ τὴν ἰδίαν πάστα σταυρωτά, ἄλειψέ την μὲ αὐγὸ καὶ ψῆσέ την σὲ μέτριο φοῦρνο."
English Translation
"Make a biscuit dough as described above, about half a finger thick, and place it in a small baking tray or in a pie dish. Cover it with marmalade from any fruit, one finger thick, and then cover it with strips of the same dough arranged crosswise. Brush it with egg and bake it in a moderate oven."
Note on the Original Text
Like many period recipes, this one assumes a cook's familiarity with basic pastry techniques, giving only essential instructions and expecting flexibility with ingredients on hand. The spelling is in the polytonic Greek of the time, and practical instructions such as 'as above' (ὡς ἀνωτέρω) refer to previously explained pastry-making methods. Measurements were often approximate, using fingers and hands as natural guides—here, 'finger-thick' refers to about 1-2 cm, while a 'small pan or pie plate' is left open to interpretation based on household size. This brief, direct style reflects both the oral tradition of recipe sharing and the expectation of a resourceful, adaptive cook.
Title
Megale amerikanike mageirike dia mageirous kai oikogeneias (1917)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Michael Gkines
Era
1917
Publisher
Ekdotika Katastemata
Background
A sumptuous journey through early 20th-century Greek-American kitchens, this cookbook offers practical and time-tested recipes for savory dishes and delightful sweets—each crafted to suit the American system, yet infused with Greek tradition. A perfect companion for both family cooks and aspiring chefs.
Kindly made available by
Internet Archive
This recipe comes from Michael Gkines' 1917 Greek-American cookbook, a fascinating culinary bridge between Greek immigrant households and the evolving New World kitchen. Compiled in New York, the book aimed to introduce practical and tested recipes, often adapting classic European sweets to the ingredients and equipment available in early 20th-century America. 'Flan au Marmelade' reflects the fusion of familiar Greek dessert techniques with the popular trends of American and European baking, yet uses accessible local produce like preserved fruit. It's an excellent example of how immigrant communities preserved taste memories while embracing their new environment.
In the early 20th century, home cooks would have used a wooden rolling pin to shape their dough, simple metal or enamel baking pans or pie dishes for baking, and a sturdy fork or knife to cut pastry strips. Marmalade would have been homemade, stored in glass jars. Ovens were typically fuelled by wood or coal, requiring some skill to maintain a steady, moderate temperature—a true test of the baker's experience and intuition.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Servings
8
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter (cold)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg (for pastry)
- Pinch of salt
- 2-3 tablespoons cold water (as needed to bind)
- 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups fruit marmalade (such as apricot, quince, or other available jam)
- 1 egg (beaten, for glazing)
Instructions
- Begin by preparing a pastry similar to a biscuit or shortcrust base, rolling it out to about 3/8 inch thick.
- Line a small baking tin or a pie plate with this dough, ensuring it covers the base evenly.
- Next, spread a generous layer (about 3/4 inch thick) of marmalade made from any fruit atop the pastry base.
- Then, cut the remaining dough into strips and lay them over the marmalade in a crisscross (lattice) pattern.
- Brush the pastry strips with beaten egg to glaze.
- Bake in a moderate oven (approximately 350°F) until golden and set.
Estimated Calories
315 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It usually takes about 20 minutes to prepare the dough, fill with jam, and arrange the lattice, then around 30–35 minutes to bake. The recipe serves 8 people, and each serving contains about 315 calories.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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