Berry flan with chocolate sauce
- Average
- 55 min
- Kcal 520
Bettelmatt cheese flan—honestly, it is a true gem from the high Alps of Northern Italy. Really, this bettelmatt cheese flan is crafted in the stunning Val d’Ossola in Lombardy, where just a few dairies make this rare cheese during those short summer months. People are super excited for it every year, and you know what? Once you taste it, you’ll get it.
The cheese? It starts with a gentle, almost sweet flavor that deepens, becoming more and more intense. So good. The flan is tender yet solid—really makes each bite feel special. And listen, the way the cheese melts into a smooth, moist texture is like a cherished secret only locals know.
Chef Marco Sacco, he’s got something special up his sleeve. His bettelmatt flan recipe is elevated with a tangy blueberry sauce mixed with pimiento. It hints at nutmeg, black pepper, cinnamon and even a touch of juniper. Classic mountain flavors make this dish pop—really, really unique.
On top, you’ve got thin strips of celeriac and pieces of pear soaked in mustard sauce. And they add a crispy snap and a sweet kick. Fresh, high-altitude blueberries scattered over the flan not only look stunning but give it that fruity hit. And the sauce? Which is great.
All these elements together create more than just your average Italian cheese flan—it’s something special from the traditional cuisine of Val d’Ossola. The people of Lombardy take pride in dishes like this, as they highlight the unique qualities of local ingredients. Exploring bettelmatt cheese recipes like this one showcases both the rare cheese and the creative ways chefs play with it. Seriously good, resulting in a dish that's wonderfully distinctive.
Whether it’s your first time or you’re enjoying it as a beloved favorite, this flan is sure to impress with its fancy blend of flavors and textures. No question.
To prepare the Bettelmatt flans, first make the mustard pear sauce. Drain the pears, reserving their liquid, and cut them into 6 parts 1. Take 100 g of the preserving liquid of the pears, pour it into a small saucepan 2 and let it boil for a few moments over low heat without a lid 3.
Add the cream 4 and bring it back to a boil over low heat. Remove from the heat and add the butter 5, allowing it to melt by swirling the saucepan. Blend everything with an immersion blender 6,
until you obtain a homogeneous mixture 7. Let it rest at room temperature and move on to making the blueberry sauce. Slice the onions thinly 8. In a small saucepan, add the blueberries, onions 9
and water 10. Let it cook for 5-8 minutes; the blueberries should break down. Then add the sugar 11, salt, cloves, cinnamon, pimiento, and black pepper 12.
Add the apple cider vinegar 13 and continue cooking for about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and blend with an immersion blender 14. Strain everything 15
and set aside 16. Move on to the flan: remove the rind from the cheese to obtain 120 g 17, cut it first into slices, then into strips 18
and finally into very small cubes 19. Place in the cup of a blender and add the whole eggs, yolks 20, and cream 21.
Blend everything with an immersion blender 22 and let it rest for 40 minutes at room temperature 23. After resting, pour it into the 2.75-inch diameter molds previously buttered, leaving about a 0.4-inch gap from the edge 34.
Bake the flans at 293°F in a preheated static oven for 40 minutes. When there are a few minutes left, cut the celeriac into thin slices. Remove the flans from the oven 25, flame the surface with a torch 26. Then arrange the mustard sauce, forming a circle on the serving plate 27;
place the flan in the center 28 and garnish with two pieces of pear 29. Place celeriac slices on top of the pears 30.
Finish with the blueberry sauce 31, some fresh blueberries 32, and a sprinkle of green pepper. The Bettelmatt flan is ready to serve 33.