Strawberry Hazelnut Flan

Strawberries AND chocolate AND hazelnuts AND lemon. WOW! This delicious-sounding recipe is from "The Vancouver Sun Newspaper". I found it on the strawberryJAMM website, and have posted it here in readiness for the "Let's Get Fresh and SWAP - Recipe Swap" (May 2005). I have not yet made this recipe, but I shall certainly be doing so. It sounds just so superbly, decadently delicious. I have included both stages of cooling and chilling as 'cooking time'.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 5 mins
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• FLAN CRUST

• 1⁄2 cup hazelnuts, toasted
• 3  tablespoons sugar
• 1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 6  tablespoons butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
• 1  large egg, beaten
• 2  ounces  semisweet chocolate
• 1  teaspoon  vegetable oil

• FLAN FILLING

• 1⁄4 cup red currant jelly
• 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon zest, grated
• 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2  cups strawberries, sliced
• 6  cups strawberries
• 2  ounces  semisweet chocolate
• 1  teaspoon  vegetable oil
• 2  teaspoons icing sugar, approximately, for dusting the flan just before serving

Directions

1. To toast the hazelnuts: spread the nuts on a baking sheet and bake at 350ºF (180ºC ) for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden. Transfer the nuts to a towel and rub to remove their skins.
2. In food processor, process the toasted hazelnuts and sugar until the nuts are finely ground.
3. Add the flour and salt, process until well combined and transfer to large bowl.
4. Using your fingertips, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
5. Stir in the egg with a fork. Do not overwork. The mixture should be crumbly.
6. Press the mixture evenly into 10 inch flan pan, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
7. Using a fork prick the bottom and sides of the pastry, line the pastry with foil, fill with dried beans and bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and the beans and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until golden.
8. Place the flan crust on a rack to cool completely.
9. Once the flan crust has completely cooled, melt the chocolate and oil together, brush over the bottom of the flan crust and about a third of the way up the sides of crust.
10. Refrigerate until the chocolate has set.
11. In a small saucepan, combine the currant jelly, lemon zest and juice.
12. Place the pan over a low heat and stir constantly until the jelly melts.
13. Place the sliced berries evenly over the chocolate-coated crust, arrange whole berries on the top, brush with the currant jelly mixture.
14. Melt chocolate and vegetable oil together and drizzle over the strawberries.
15. Refrigerate the flan until the chocolate sets, about 2 hours.
16. Dust with icing sugar before serving.