Apricot Flan -

Apricot Flan

Ingredients

For rich shortcrust pastry

6 oz plain flour
Pinch of salt
4½ oz butter
1 rounded dessertspoon granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons water

For filling

1 lb fresh apricots
½ pint water
3 oz granulated sugar
Apricot glaze

7-8 inch diameter flan ring

Method

Make the rich shortcrust pastry, set aside to chill.

Put the water and sugar into a shallow pan, dissolve on a slow heat, then boil rapidly for 2 minutes and draw aside.

Wash the apricots and cut in half with a serrated-edge, stain­less steel knife, or fruit knife, by cutting down to, and round, the stone from the stalk end, follow­ing the slight groove on the side of the apricot. Give the fruit a twist to halve it. If the stones do not come away easily, poach the apricots whole. Once cooked the stones can be taken out without breaking the fruit. Some of the stones can be cracked, the kernels skinned and added to the fruit for special flavour.

Place the halved apricots in a pan, cut side uppermost, cover with syrup and heat gently to boiling point. This will draw out the juice and so increase the quantity of syrup, although this will not in the first instance cover the fruit. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the apricots are tender. Cool in the syrup.

Roll out the pastry, line on to the flan ring and bake blind. Cool on a pastry rack.

The prepared apricot glaze should be hot and well reduced. If too thin, reduce to a thicker consistency by boiling the liquid quickly in an uncovered pan. Brush a light coating of glaze over the bottom and sides of the flan. Lift the apri­cots from the syrup with a spoon and arrange in the flan. Brush well with the hot glaze.

Alternatively, the apricot syrup can be thickened with arrowroot and used instead of jam glaze. Jam is better, however, if the flan has to be kept for a while before serving.

Related food category:

• Pie, Tart and Pastry