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| Ingredients | | Mascarpone & Almond Flan | | 50g sliced almonds | | 4 eggs, separated | | ½ cup caster sugar | | ½ teaspoon almond extract | | 25g cornflour | | 500g mascarpone | | 200ml cream | | 2 teaspoons lemon juice | | Amaretto-Poached Nectarines | | ½ cup sugar | | 1 vanilla bean, split | | ½ cup amaretto | | 12 small nectarines, halved and stones removed |
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| Mascarpone & Almond Flan With Amaretto poached Nectarines |
| 22 / 02 / 10 Fiona Smith |
| Photography by Aaron McLean |
| This flan is dense with mascarpone – a rich cream cheese made from cow’s milk – and similar to cheesecake but with no pastry. It is very rich so you only need a small slice. Serve with the amaretto-poached nectarines, or fresh berries or apricots. If you don’t like the flavour of almond extract, replace it with vanilla, but it is subtle in this flan. Ideally, start this a day ahead. |
Method |
Mascarpone & Almond Flan
Preheat the oven to 150°C. Place the almonds on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes until golden. Cool, cover and set aside.
Line a 22cm-24cm pie or flan dish with baking paper (this can be a bit scrunched up around the edges; it gives the flan character).
In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale. Stir in the almond essence and cornflour.
In a separate bowl, beat the mascarpone until soft then beat in the cream. Combine this with the egg yolk mixture.
Whisk the egg whites with the lemon juice to soft peaks. Carefully fold this into the mascarpone mixture.
Pour into the lined dish and bake for 1 hour. Cool in the dish then refrigerate until firm (at least 6 hours but preferably overnight).
Turn out on to a serving plate.
Combine the toasted almonds with a little of the poaching liquid from the nectarines and scatter on top of the flan. Serve with the amaretto-poached nectarines (recipe follows). Serves 12.
Amaretto-Poached Nectarines
The leftover poaching syrup can be stored in the refrigerator and used for cocktails or poured over cakes.
Put the sugar and vanilla bean in a medium saucepan with 1½ cups of water. Bring to the boil and boil for 2 minutes. Add the amaretto and nectarines, and gently simmer for 20 minutes, moving the nectarines around occasionally to ensure they cook evenly. Cool in the liquid. 
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