Dutch Apple Flan

An apple pie is a fruit tart in which the principal filling ingredient is apples. It is often served with ice cream, or whipped cream, or a piece of cheddar cheese on top, and is usually decorated in a lattice style.

Dutch apple pies may include ingredients such as raisins, cinnamon and lemon juice, in addition to ingredients such as apples and sugar.

Apple tarts are mainly made with short pastry. 

Shortcrust pastry is the popular type of pastry used for savoury and sweet dishes, such as pastry cases and pies.

It has a medium to high proportion of fat to flour and a low moisture content, and is  handled lightly and quickly, with the minimum of rolling, to give a crumbly – or short – texture when baked.

This type of pastry does not rise during cooking.

 ·  INGREDIENTS

Sweet Short Pastry

240g Plain Flour

130g Unsalted Butter

60g Caster Sugar

50g Egg (= 1 Egg)

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Zest of ¼ Lemon

Pinch of Salt

Apple Flan

200g Sugar Paste

400g Cooking Apples (such as Bramley apples)

100g Caster Sugar

Pinch of Cinnamon

Zest of 1 Lemon

50g Sultanas

Apricot Jam, for glazing

· METHOD

Sweet Short Pastry

1.   In a metal bowl cream the butter with a scraper and add in the sugar. Mix together until well combined.

2.   Add the vanilla extract, lemon zest and salt.

3.   Sift in the flour and combine together to get a crumbly consistency.

4.   Add in the egg.

5.   Using your hands combine all ingredients together knitting a dough that is smooth and a little soft in consistency.

6.   Cover the dough in cling film and leave it to rest in the fridge for ½ hour.

Preparing the apples

1.   Peel and core approximately 2 ½ Bramley apples (400g).

2.   Chop the apples and put the in a sauce pan on a high heat; after 2 minutes put to low heat.

3.   When the apples are warm, add in the sugar and stir together.

4.   Once the sugar is dissolved add in the cinnamon and lemon zest.

5.   As soon as the apples are soft add in the sultanas.

Preparing the tart

1.   On a slightly floured work surface, roll out half of the pastry into 3mm thick.

2.   Roll the pastry on the rolling pin and then unroll it on a lined flan ring.

3.   Blind bake with baking beans on top for approx 30-40 minutes at 200-220°C.

4.   In the meantime prepare the lattice.

5.   When the flan is almost cooked, take it out of the oven, fill with cooked apples and place the lattice on top.

6.   Brush the lattice with egg wash and put the flan back in the oven for approx 10-15 minutes at 180°C.

7.   Once the flan is cooked, take it out of the oven and glaze it with warm apricot jam.