Delia

Mincemeat and Apple Crumble Flan with Almonds

If you've got leftover mincemeat this will cheer up a January Sunday lunch beautifully.  A ready-made pastry flan case will also save you time, which we have discovered works really well when frozen first.

Serves 6

This recipe is taken from Delia's Happy Christmas


Mincemeat and Apple Crumble Flan with Almonds
Ingredients
 1 x 400g mincemeat (approx)
 4 oz (110 g) Cox’s apples, cored (no need to peel)
 4 oz (110 g) Bramley cooking apples, cored (no need to peel)
 1 x 230 g fresh pastry flan case (frozen)
 a little melted butter
 1 tablespoon brandy
 semolina
 icing sugar, for dusting
For the crumble:
 ¾ oz (20 g) chilled butter, cut into small dice
 1½ oz (40 g) self-raising flour
 1 oz (25 g) demerara sugar
 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
 1 oz (25 g) whole almonds, skin on
 Preheat the oven to gas mark 6, 400°F (200°C).
Equipment
You will also need a heated baking sheet

Method

First, make the crumble.  All you do is place the butter, flour, sugar and cinnamon in a processor and give things a whiz until the mixture resembles crumbs.  Then add teh almonds and process again - not too fast - until they are fairly finely chopped but with a few chunky bits left.  If you don't have a processor, in a large bowl rub the butter into the sifted flour until it resembles crumbs, then stir in the sugar, cinnamon and almonds (which you can chop by hand). 

Now chop the apples into small pieces - a mini chopper will make light work of this.  Then mix them in with the mincemeat in a bowl, along with the brandy.  Then brush the inside of the pastry case with a little melted butter and sprinkle the semolina evenly over the base.  Place on the hot baking sheet and spoon in the apple mixture, pressing it down well.  Then, simply sprinkle the crumble all over the apple mixture.  Using the flat of your hands, press it down quite firmly; the more tightly it is packed together, the crispier it will be.

Put the tart on the centre shelf of the oven, reduce the temperature down to 190C/gas mark 5 and bake for 40 minutes, by which time the apples will be soft and the topping golden brown and crisp.  Leave it to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving dusted with icing sugar.
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