Apricot and Almond Flan

Combine plain flour and ground rice in a bowl, then rub in the butter with fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Stir in 1 tablespoon of caster sugar and mix until the dough just comes together. Press firmly into a 9-inch (23 cm) flan tin or pie dish, covering the base and sides evenly.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and blind bake the pastry case for 10 minutes until lightly set, then remove from the oven.

Heat the milk in a small saucepan until just warm, then remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Beat the eggs with the remaining caster sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy, then stir in the almond essence.

Blend the cornflour with a little cold water to form a smooth paste, then gradually add the warm milk and mix until smooth. Pour this mixture into the beaten eggs and sugar, stirring well to combine.

Drain the canned apricots, reserving 2 tablespoons of juice, and arrange the apricots evenly over the pastry base. If using apricot brandy, mix it with the reserved apricot juice and drizzle over the apricots.

Carefully pour the egg and milk custard mixture over the apricots, ensuring the filling is distributed evenly.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes until the custard is set but still slightly soft in the centre; the top should be pale golden.

Remove the flan from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature, then dust lightly with icing sugar.

Serve the flan warm or at room temperature with cream on the side.