Here’s the recipe as requested for the apple custard flan.

APPLE CUSTARD FLAN

Any stewed fruit can be used in this dish. (See a version at end of recipe).

For the flan

1 egg

¾ cup sugar

Finely grated rind 1 lemon

¾ cup milk

1½ cups self raising flour

60g butter, melted

For the filling

½ cup lemon curd (aka lemon butter)

2 cups stewed apple

3 to 4 teaspoon cornflour mixed to a thinnish paste with approximately ¼ cup cold water

For the custard

375ml milk

¼ cup sugar, or to taste

125ml milk extra

1 tablespoon cornflour

2 eggs, lightly whisked

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Ground nutmeg to taste

METHOD

To make the flan base

Heat oven to 160 degrees C (fan forced). Grease a 25cm flan tin and line base with baking paper.

Whisk the egg and sugar together until well combined, than add (all at once) the lemon rind, milk, flour and butter and whisk until smooth.

Pour into the prepared flan tin, level out and bake until cooked through, approximately 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and leave to stand 5 minutes in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Transfer to a serving platter.

To make the filling

Heat the stewed apple to boiling point then thicken with some or all of the cornflour paste, stirring over low heat. Cool completely.

To make the custard topping

Heat the 375ml of milk to boiling point. Stir in the sugar.

Meanwhile in a bowl, whisk the remaining 125ml milk and cornflour together to make a thin paste, then whisk in the eggs.

When the milk has reached boiling point, remove from heat and whisk in the milk/cornflour/egg mixture. Return to low heat and, stirring with a whisk, bring just to boiling point and then cook 1 minute until thickened. Stir in vanilla.

Cover the custard with cling film or baking paper to prevent a skin forming and leave to stand until cold.

To assemble

Spread a layer of lemon curd on the base of the flan. Top with the cooled stewed apple.

Whisk the custard a little to make sure it’s smooth and spoon over the top.

Sprinkle with a little ground nutmeg.

VARIATION

I made a version using stewed gooseberries. I did not, however, sprinkle with nutmeg as I thought ti would be a poor match with the gooseberry flavour. Instead I whipped 300ml cream with 1 teaspoons sugar until thick and spooned that over and swirled with the back of a spoon. Equally delicious as the apple version (some might say even better)