Because I got confused. Easy Peach and Amaretto Flan

 

 

 

...and confusion happens often. I appear to be hurtling towards some sort of befuddledom, though to be fair the fact that I don't seem to be able to tell the difference between tinned apricots and peaches may have had something to do with the fact that when shopping I was being hassled at the time by two children, well known to this blog, who were putting stuff in the trolley that I didn't want, in between partaking in playfights in the middle of the supermarket aisle so much so that little old ladies were having to manoeuvre their trolleys around them to get to the custard (or whatever it was they were buying). What's that? Yes, you're right. I am an appalling mother.

 

Anyway, when I got home and set upon the original Gino D'Acampo recipe I realised my mistake in that I had peaches for his easy apricot and kirsch flan which is in his 'Italian Home Baking' cookbook but sourced here from a column in the Daily Fail Mail. I uttered several words not in keeping of the spirit of this blog as I had got everything else out, ready to prepare the damn thing...so, a few tweaks and judicious ingredient changes and what we have now is an easy peach and amaretto tart which though inspired by the original recipe, I will now attempt to claim as my own.

 

I like pastry - I'll have it in, or on, anything, but because I am extraordinarily good as putting fat down I have convinced myself that using filo pastry as the pastry case is almost healthy. I subbed the kirsch for amaretto, the hazelnuts for almonds and a little almond extract and obviously the apricots are now peaches, so you will not need as many of them. I needed a large tin only.

 

My filo was quite thick as it is the last of the French stuff that I bought back home from that huge supermarket shop I did in Calais in the Summer. Make sure that you put your finished tart on a preheated baking tray when you put it in the oven to ensure that the bottom of the tart cooks all the way through, as the filling is a little bit wet. Mine cooked, just. I think if I had used the thinner filo pastry (or maybe used less of the one I was using in the first place) it might have been easier for the bottom to cook through quicker.

 

So here we are. This is the recipe that I created from confusion. If you want the original recipe, click on the link above, or buy the cookbook.

 

 

Peach and Amaretto Tart, loosely based on a Gino D'Acampo recipe for something similar.

 

 

Serves Lola, Finn, Mum and Dad, twice, so 8 people.

 

Ingredients:

 

For the pastry case:

120g filo pastry

20g salted butter melted

For the filling:

 

120g salted butter plus extra for greasing

115g caster sugar

2 medium eggs beaten

100g finely ground almonds

1/2 tsp almond extract

2 tbsp amaretto liqueur

1 large can peach halves drained (though this might be two normal size tins with a few halves left over)

2 tbsp apricot jam

icing sugar for dusting

Method:

 

 

 

Grease a 25cm loose-based flan tin with butter and preheat the oven to 220C fan/gas 7 (add 10C-20C for non-fan ovens).

 

 

 

Cut the filo pastry into 20cm squares and lightly brush each one with the melted butter. Line the base and sides of the

flan tin with the filo squares, ensuring that each one overlaps the next. Fold in any uneven edges, or trim off, as I did.

 

 

 

Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Gradually whisk in the eggs. Add the almonds, almond extract, flour and amaretto and gently fold everything together. Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared pastry case.

 

 

 

Arrange the peach halves on top of the mixture, placing the fruit rounded side up (you may have some left over).

 

Put the flan tin on a baking tray and bake in the middle of the oven for 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to 190C fan/gas 5 (add 10C-20C for non-fan ovens) and continue to bake for a further 20-25 minutes until the filling is golden brown and firm to the touch.

 

Meanwhile, heat the apricot jam over a low heat in a small saucepan. Remove the flan from the oven and brush the jam over the top.

 

Leave the flan to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before removing the outer ring and place on a wire rack to cool.

 

 

 

Dust with a little icing sugar and serve warm, or leave to cool to room temperature.

 

 

 

We had this with a little cream and it was really good! Thumbs up!