Apricot and Sour Cream Flan

30-minute Cookbook, Reader's Digest Canada30-minute Cookbook, Reader's Digest Canada

Canned apricots are buried beneath an unusual batter made with fruit juice and sour cream and topped with butter and sugar, to make a warming and substantial dessert.

Number of servings : 4-6

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Type of meal : | Desserts | Desserts

Special diet :

Ingredients

Butter for greasing
2 cans (each 14oz / 397ml) apricot
halves in natural juice
To serve: cream, light or heavy, as preferred

For the batter:
â…” cup (150ml) sour cream
3⁄4 cup (100g) plain flour
2 large eggs
1⁄2 cup (75g) soft light brown sugar
A few drops of natural vanilla extract

For the topping:
1 tablespoon (15g) butter
2 tablespoons soft light brown sugar

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and grease a shallow, ovenproof dish, 10–12in. (25–30cm) in diameter.
  2. Drain the canned apricots, reserving 1⁄2 cup (100ml) of the juice, and arrange them, cut sides down, in the bottom of the dish.
  3. To make the batter, stir the sour cream into the reserved apricot juice. Place the flour in a separate bowl and make a well in the center. Add the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract, quickly whisk into the flour to make a smooth paste, then gradually whisk in the apricot juice and sour cream mixture.
  4. Pour the batter over the apricots and bake the flan in the oven for 20 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, make the topping by blending the butter and sugar together with a fork in a small bowl.
  6. Remove the flan from the oven after 15 minutes and dot the butter and sugar mixture evenly over the top. Return it to the oven for the remaining 5 minutes, or until the batter is lightly golden on top and puffed up.
  7. Serve hot, with light or heavy cream.

Variation: Instead of the topping, sprinkle the flan with confectioners’ sugar before serving. Alternatively, sprinkle it with brandy—an apricot-flavored brandy would be particularly good.

Nutritional information: