Apple Flapjack Flan
This is my mum’s recipe – a winning recipe, in fact. In 1985, she won a Bramley apple competition with this entry. The contrasting textures – the shortness of the crisp pastry, the softness of the cooked Bramleys, and the crunchy flapjack topping – make this tart Gold Standard, indeed.
Once you’ve tried it, this recipe will become an annual staple during Bramley apple season, and the recipe for the pastry will become your go-to for all sweet tarts.
Makes one 20cm tart.
Ingredients
For the pastry:
For the filling:
For the flapjack topping:
Equipment
Method
This is my mum’s recipe – a winning recipe, in fact. In 1985, she won a Bramley apple competition with this entry. The contrasting textures – the shortness of the crisp pastry, the softness of the cooked Bramleys, and the crunchy flapjack topping – make this tart Gold Standard, indeed.
Once you’ve tried it, this recipe will become an annual staple during Bramley apple season, and the recipe for the pastry will become your go-to for all sweet tarts.
Makes one 20cm tart.
Ingredients
For the pastry:
- 150g plain flour
- 50g butter/margarine
- 25g lard or ‘white cooking fat’
- 1 egg yolk
- 15g icing sugar
- Cold water to mix
For the filling:
- 3 large Bramley apples, cooked in a little water (you don’t need to add additional sugar but you could add some sultanas or apricots for sweetness and additional flavour if you wish). The apples should be broken down and the consistency should be soft.
For the flapjack topping:
- 100g butter
- 100g demerara sugar
- 75g syrup (about 2 tbsp)
- 125-140g porridge oats
Equipment
- 1 x 20cm flan tin (place a piece of greaseproof paper in the bottom)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan), 200°C (non fan).
- To make the pastry, rub the fats (butter/marg and the lard) together with the flour until they resemble fine breadcrumbs. Sieve over the icing sugar and stir well. Make a well in the centre and add the egg yolk and about 2 tbsp water (depending on the size of the yolk, you may need to add a little more water). Mix together with a round-bladed knife and then knead it to bring the dough together. Leave it to rest in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- Roll the dough into a circle and carefully line the flan tin. Cut off any surplus pastry and leave to rest in the fridge for another 10 minutes.
- Bake the tart blind (lay a piece of greaseproof paper in the bottom and pour over baking beans), for about 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove the paper and beans about 5 minutes before the end of the bake to ensure the centre is cooked. Leave to cool.
- To make the flapjack, melt the butter, syrup and sugar in a pan over a low heat. When completely melted, remove from the heat and stir in the oats.
- Pour the apple filling into the cooked pastry case and then top with the flapjack. Return the tart to the oven for approximately 15-20 minutes until the flapjack is even and golden brown. Serve warm with custard, clotted cream or ice cream.