Recipe: Lemon and Blueberry Flan

Mercy Fenton's Lemon and Blueberry Flan.
"This is a simple, elegant and delicious tart - perfect for a summer evening barbecue," so says Mercy Fenton in her weekly column.
"It’s easy to finish as it’s needed, and is a great tart for the novice baker."
300gr flour
150gr butter
60gr sugar
6gr salt
2 eggs
- Mix flour, sugar and butter to crumb, add in the eggs and salt and mix lightly.
- Turn onto board and work enough to bring together.
- Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for an hour or so.
- Grease a rectangular loose bottom tart tin, 34cm x 12 cm, or a 9 inch flan ring.
- Roll out the pastry approximately 1½ inches larger than the flan ring.
- Carefully place the pastry on the flan ring.
- Push well into the corners, line with parchment paper and rest for ½ an hour.
- Fill with baking beans and bake at 175C until golden all over.
- When cooked, remove baking parchment and brush the pastry case with raw egg yolk, place it back in the oven for two or three minutes, this will help seal the pastry and keep it crisp.
- While the pastry case is cooking, prepare the Lemon Cream
4 free-range eggs
3 lemons zested
170ml lemon juice - about 5 lemons
200gr sugar
292gr cold butter, diced
- Place the eggs, juice, zest, and sugar in a glass bowl.
- Whisk the mixture until everything is properly mixed, you do not need to add air.
- Place the bowl over a pot of barely trembling hot water; do not allow the bowl to touch the water.
- Keep stirring and cook until it thickens, this could take from 10 to 15 minutes.
- Once thickened, take the curd off the heat, allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Once the curd has cooled a bit, transfer to a food processor.
- Add the butter a little at a time with the machine running all the time.
- Ensure all the butter is mixed in well.
- Pour the butter cream into the prepared tart base.
- Spread evenly, then refrigerate until set.
- Once ready to serve, decorate with fresh strawberries, raspberries or blueberries.
- Serve as it is.