Banana Flan

By Spookie

Classic flan is topped with slices of fresh banana with a coating of apricot jam. Perfect dessert any time of year.

Ingredients

• TOPPING:
• 4 ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup apricot jelly
• FILLING:
• 5 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla paste, or extract)
• 1/4 cup of cornstarch
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• PASTRY:
• 6 ounces sugar
• 14 ounces butter
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
• 1 pound all purpose flour

Preparation

Step 1

PASTRY:
In a food processor add the sugar, butter, egg and vanilla paste. Pulse until smooth and then add the flour. Tip out onto a floured surface and mix to form a smooth dough. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Roll out the pastry to about ¼ inch thick and line a 9 inch flan ring. Refrigerate for about 45 minutes. Blind bake using baking beans to hold the shape of the paste until the pastry shell is firm and golden brown. Remove from the oven, remove the baking beans and set aside.

FILLING:
In a heavy saucepan bring the milk and cream to the boil. Put the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together.

Pour the milk over the egg mixture and whisk and when the milk is incorporated pour the whole contents of the bowl back into the pan and return to the heat. Continue whisking the pastry cream until it thickens (about 4 minutes) and then remove from the heat and spoon into the baked pastry shell.

Slice the bananas into ¼ inch discs and arrange neatly on top of the warm filling. Bring the apricot jelly to a boil in a small pan and brush over the top of the bananas.

Banana Flan | Darren McGrady : The Royal Chef