Flan fan? This fruit-filled showstopper is fit for all seasons.

“This flan is a year-round classic that works with practically any stone fruit, berries, or even rhubarb. It’s a great base recipe that you can adapt to whatever fruit or fruit preserves you may have on hand. Fresh in season is always preferable, offering a perfect balance between sweetness and acidity,” says Brianna Smith. “Try sliced apples, pears or poached quinces, wedges of fresh fig or apricot. Mulberries are my favourite… they might stain your fingers, but they’re such a rare treat. For a glossy finish, dilute a little jam or quince jelly with hot water and brush it on the surface of the cooked tart while it’s still hot from the oven.”

This recipe is best suited to a 22–24 cm loose-bottomed flan tin.

Ingredients

Shortcrust:

250g spelt flour
50g plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting
Pinch of salt
150g unsalted butter
25ml iced water

Frangipane:
150g unsalted butter, at room temperature, diced
150g caster sugar
3 eggs
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped (or 2 teaspoons quality vanilla bean extract)
Grated zest of 1 lemon
150 g (1½ cups) ground almonds

To serve:
Stone fruit, berries or any seasonal fruit
Icing sugar, for dusting
Yoghurt or crème fraîche

Method

Make the pastry

  1. Place all the pastry ingredients in the freezer for 10 minutes.
  2. Combine the flours, salt and butter in a food processor and process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
  3. With the motor running, gradually add the iced water until the dough forms a ball.
  4. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured bench and gently roll it into a ball. Press into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap or beeswax wrap. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. (You can make the dough ahead and keep it in the fridge for up to three days, or freeze it.)
  5. Roll the chilled dough out on a sheet of baking paper to the size of the flan tin, dusting with a little extra flour if needed.
  6. Lay the pastry over the tin with the baking paper facing up. Gently peel back the paper and press the pastry into the tin.
  7. Use a knife to trim the pastry 1 cm above the edge. Prick with a fork every few centimetres.
  8. Line the pastry case with baking paper and fill with baking beads or rice. Chill in the refrigerator or freezer for 20 minutes.
  9. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
  10. Blind-bake the chilled pastry case for 15 minutes, rotating halfway through cooking. Remove the baking beads and paper, then bake for a further 5 minutes. Allow the pastry case to cool completely.

Make the frangipane

  1. Cream the butter and sugar in a stand mixer until light and fluffy.
  2. Gradually add the eggs, one at a time.
  3. Add the vanilla seeds and citrus zest, then fold in the ground almonds.
  4. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Assemble and bake

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
  2. Spoon the frangipane into the cooled pastry case, spreading it evenly just below the rim. If needed, tidy the pastry edge with a small serrated knife.
  3. Cover the frangipane with your chosen fruit.
  4. Bake for 35 minutes, then rotate the tin and bake for a further 5 minutes until golden brown and the centre feels springy to touch.
  5. Allow to cool, then dust with icing sugar.
  6. Serve with yoghurt or crème fraîche. This flan is best enjoyed on the day of baking but will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

A Heidy Harvest.

A Heide Harvest (Thames & Hudson, RRP $64.99) is out now and available, among other places, from great independent Victorian bookstores such as Readings and Books for Cooks.