Double-Take Apple Flan

Serves: to serve 4

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 50 Minutes

Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins

Ingredients

FOR THE FIRST "TAKE"

5 oz - plain flour

2 teaspoons - baking powder

2½ oz - caster sugar (superfine or baker's sugar)

6 tablespoons - milk

4 tablespoons - vegetable oil

1 teaspoon - vanilla extract

2 - eggs

3 large - apples

  - butter

  - plain flour

FOR THE SECOND "TAKE"

4½ oz - butter

4½ oz - caster sugar (superfine or baker's sugar)

1 teaspoon - vanilla sugar

1 teaspoon - vanilla extract

2 large - eggs

Directions

  1. Mix the flour, baking powder and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the milk, oil, vanilla extract and eggs. Mix quickly and well to avoid lumps.
  2. Peel, core and slice the apples into 'segments'. You can mix the varieties: for me it's Pink Lady, Braeburn and Gala, but you can please yourself.
  3. Grease a 10" (26cm) baking tin with a little butter and then sprinkle a little flour over. Pour the batter into the tin and arrange the sliced apples on top. Don't hesitate to add extra apple if you wish, as this is what will make your recipe mellow. The batter will puff a lot when cooking, and if you don't include enough apples, you risk ending up with a stodgy cake - so be generous with the apples!
  4. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (Mk 4 - 350ºF - 180ºC) for 30 minutes until the cake begins to brown.
  5. In the meantime, in preparation for the "Second Take", melt the butter, add the sugar, vanilla extract and vanilla sugar. Allow it to cool and add the two eggs.
  6. Beat this mixture lightly and pour over the cake. Place the cake back in the oven for a further 20-25 minutes until it has acquired a golden caramelised colour (and probably a big sign saying "eat me!"). Allow to cool until tepid - or even cold - and eat with an optional scoop of vanilla ice-cream. Hmmmmmm - heaven on a spoon!