ROAST APPLE, ALMOND & ROSEMARY CUSTARD PIE

Recipes Julie Clark / Photography Amber-Jayne Bain

	FOR THE LEMON-ALMOND PASTRY
	250g flour
	100g ground almonds
	175g butter, chilled
	80g sugar
	zest of 1 lemon
	1 egg yolk
	3 tablespoons milk
	FOR THE ROAST APPLES
	3 Granny Smith or Braeburn apples, peeled, cored and diced
	100ml water
	2 sprigs rosemary
	50g sugar
	FOR THE ROSEMARY CUSTARD
	500ml milk
	500ml cream
	1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
	4 eggs
	6 egg yolks
	120g caster sugar
	½ teaspoon vanilla paste

1.	To make the pastry, put the flour, ground almonds and butter in a food processor and pulse until crumbs form.
2.	Add the sugar and lemon zest and pulse twice.
3.	Add the egg yolk and milk and pulse until a ball just starts to form.
4.	Turn the mixture out and gently bring the pastry together.
5.	Roll out to line a 24cm-round fluted, loose-based flan tin.
6.	Rest the pie base in the fridge for at least 20 minutes while you cook the apples and make the custard.
7.	To cook the apples, place all ingredients in a single layer in an ovenproof dish and cook at 160°C fan for 10 minutes, until tender.
8.	Cool, then remove the rosemary.
9.	To make the custard, put the milk, cream and rosemary in a saucepan and heat until almost boiling (but do not boil).
10.	Whisk the eggs and egg yolks, sugar and vanilla paste in a bowl until thick.
11.	Pour the milk/cream mix over the egg mix, whisking well all the time.
12.	Sieve the custard into a jug suitable for pouring.
13.	Blind bake the pie case for 20 minutes at 160°C fan.
14.	Reduce the oven temperature to150°C fan.
15.	Stand the flan tin on a baking tray and spread the apples on the pie base, put in the oven then pour in the custard mix.
16.	Bake for 60-90 minutes at 150°C fan until still a little wobbly.
17.	Allow to cool and serve in slices at room temperature.