Winter Berry Flan
00h 40
00h 20Beautiful and simple, this Winter Berry Flan is a delicious tart shell, loaded with sweet berries and custard. It’s a light, fresh dessert that can be easily turned into a mixed fruit flan of your favourite in-season fruits.
Ingredients and Method
Ingredients
- For the pastry
- 200g plain flour
- 50g unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp water – to mix
- 50g lard or white vegetable fat
- Pinch of salt
- For the filling
- 250ml milk
- 2 eggs
- 60g sugar
- 2 ½ tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- Winter berries or fruit of your choice
Method
- To make the pastry, Sift your flour and then mix with the salt in a bowl. Cut the fat into cubes and add to the flour. Use your fingertips to rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Add the water very gradually, stirring it in with a knife. When the dough begins to stick together, knead it lightly until it forms a ball.
- Wrap in cling film and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes in the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 190°c. Take the pastry out the fridge and roll out on to a lightly floured surface to about 3mm thick and 3cm larger than the flan dish.
- Cut off a strip and press this on to the edge of the dish. Chill the pastry for 20 minutes in the fridge.
- Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork and blind bake it for 16-20 minutes, until the edges are golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
- To make the filling, beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Stir in the egg yolks and vanilla.
- Heat the milk in a saucepan until it comes to a gentle simmer. Whisk the eggs, sugar and cornstarch in a bowl. Gradually add the hot milk to the egg mixture, ensuring it does not curdle. Once the mixture is combined pour the entire mixture back into the pot with the remaining milk.
- Whisk the mixture constantly oven a medium heat until it thickens. This should take about 5 minutes. Stain the custard and stir in the vanilla pod and butter until melted. Cover the mixture and leave to cool for at least 2 hours.
- Once the custard has cooled, spoon into the tart shell and spread evenly. To finish, top the custard with fresh fruit and serve.
