Ingredients
Crème pâtissière
Method
1.Combine the butter, flour and caster sugar in a food processor, process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add iced water and pulse until mixture starts to come together. Press the pastry together firmly into a flat disc. Lightly flour a sheet of baking paper, add pastry, lightly flour and cover with another sheet of baking paper. Roll out to a 29cm round and slide the pastry onto a baking tray. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2.Grease a 24cm loose-based flan tin (2.5cm deep). Peel away the baking paper from pastry. Using a rolling pin, gently ease the pastry into the base and side of the prepared tin. Trim the pastry about 0.5mm above the edge of the pan to allow for shrinkage. Prick the base all over with a fork. Refrigerate while preparing crème pâtissière
Crème pâtissière
3.In a medium saucepan, bring the milk, vanilla bean and seeds to a simmer. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in a medium bowl until well combined. Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture (including the vanilla bean) into the egg mixture. Rinse the saucepan and return the mixture to the pan. Cook, whisking constantly, over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Transfer to a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin forming. Refrigerate while baking the pastry.
4.Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Line the pastry case with a large piece of foil or baking paper. Fill with baking weights or dried beans or rice; place on an oven tray. Bake on lower shelf for 30 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake for a further 20 minutes or until browned and crisp.
Apricot liqueur glaze
5.Heat the apricot jam and liqueur in a small bowl in microwave until the jam has melted; stir to combine.
6.Spread the crème pâtissière into the cooled pastry case. Place 1 whole strawberry in the centre of the flan and arrange the halved strawberries upright. Brush with the apricot glaze; refrigerate until ready to serve.