Nut and Apple Flan

Wheat, gluten, corn, soya & dairy free; can be nut free

Serves 6

This is really delicious and very easy to make.
If you precook the base, it is quite biscuity; some people
prefer not to pre-cook it, in which case it is quite chewy
and tastes more strongly of the nuts.
If you like the apple slightly crunchy, bake uncovered;
if you prefer your apples softer, cover the apples with
another piece of foil when you bake them.

a little sunflower oil
75g each of hazelnuts, almonds and cashew nuts or,
for the seed version, 75g each of pumpkin, sunflower
and sesame seeds
2 egg whites
1–2 Bramley cooking apples, depending on size
agave syrup
a little redcurrant, raspberry or other smooth-ish jam -
we used raspberry and pomegranate

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.
Double some aluminium foil to about the size of flan you want to make and grease it with a little oil. Lay it on an oven tray.
Pulverise the nuts or seeds in a food processor.
Beat the egg whites till stiff but not peaky and mix them into the nuts.
With your hands, press the mixture out on the foil into a round or square shape.
If you want your base biscuity, cook, uncovered, for 30
minutes in the oven, then remove.
Core the apples and remove the skin or not, as you prefer. Slice them thinly and arrange them on the flan base.
Drizzle with agave syrup and return to the oven, covered on uncovered (depending on whether you want the apples to stay slightly crunchy or to be quite soft), for a further 30 minutes.
If you prefer your base softer and nuttier, then do not pre-cook the base but lay the apples straight on it and cook as above for 30 minutes.
In either case, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
Melt the jam and brush over the apples.
Serve warm or at room temperature, alone or with whatever cream, yogurt or ice cream you can eat.

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