Crunchy Apple And Almond Flan

I was supposed to bake something else today but after opening up my fridge, I noticed few of my green apples are about to get wrinkles!!  Instead of going to waste of my apples, I quickly go thru my Pastry Cookbook where I have few recipes that I've bookmarked earlier.  So today I have baked this Crunchy Apple & Almond Flan.

This Crunchy Apple Almond Flan is very crispy when eaten warm and with the mixed spice in it, it sure does taste delicious. 

Crunchy Apple & Almond Flan

adapted from Best-Ever Book Of Pastry

Ingredients

115g all purpose flour

¼ tsp mixed spice

50g butter, diced

50g demerara sugar

50g flaked almonds

500g cooking apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

25g raisins

Sifted icing sugar, for dusting

For The Pastry

175g all purpose flour

75g butter, diced

25g ground almonds

25g caster sugar

1 egg yolk

1 tbsp cold water

¼ tsp almond extract

 

1.  To make the pastry, place the flour in a mixing bowl and rub in the butter.  Stir in the ground almonds and
      sugar.  Whisk together the egg yolk, water and almond extract and mix into the dry ingredients to form a
      dough.  Knead until smooth, wrap in clear film and leave in a cool place for 20 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, make the topping.  Sift the flour and mixed spice into a bowl and rub in the butter with your
     fingertips.  Stir in the demerara sugar and flaked almonds.  Roll out the pastry.  Line a 23cm/9in
     loose-based flan tin, pressing the pastry neatly into the edges and making a lip around the top edge.  Trim
     off the excess.  Chill for 15 minutes.

3.  Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 190Celcius.  Arrange the apple slices in the pastry case in
     overlapping concentric circles, doming the centre.  Sprinkle over the raisins.  Cover the apples with the
     crunchy topping, pressing it on lightly.

4.   Bake the flan on the hot baking sheet for 25-30 minutes.  Cool in the tin for 10 minutes.  Serve warm or
      cold, dusted with icing sugar.

   After sprinkle over the raisins, I top up another layer of apples before cover it with the crunchy topping.

  Ready to go into the hot oven!!