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Easy Clafoutis

Clafoutis, from Limousin, France, is one of the easiest of baked desserts: a thick, sweet batter with cherries; apricots and plums; peaches and nectarines; prunes or other fresh stone fruit. Use a dish of at least 20 x 30cm to feed six.

4 eggs
50g flour
50g sugar (or to taste)
600ml milk
pinch of salt
500g of fruit, add sugar to taste
a fistful of double cream, optional

Arrange the fruit in a buttered baking dish.

Prepare the batter. Don't over-beat the batter. The protein in the flour will open up to form long, elastic strands, which make things tough and chewy, rather than soft and yielding. Easy solution: beat the batter just enough to mix, then strain through a sieve into the pan, pressing lumps through with a spoon.

Pour the batter over the fruit & let it all relax for a while before baking,

Bake at 175C/350F/gas mark 5 for about 45 mins.

Clafoutis is at its best eaten warm. The Clafouti will rise during baking, but deflate as it cools. This does not spoi the taste.

Apple & Rum Clafoutis

An adaption from a Julia Childs recipe.

1/2 cup currants
1/4 cup dark rum
1 stick of butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
6-7 apples, peeled and sliced
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
Enough light cream added to the remaining rum to make ½ cup
1/4 t. cinnamon

1. Mix currants and rum and let stand.
2. Spread half the butter and half the sugar in a jelly roll pan. Add the sliced apples. Cover with the rest of the butter and sugar. Bake 25 minutes at 375°. Scrape into a 13 x 9 x 2 glass baking dish. [This can be done ahead of time.]
3. Drain the currants (reserving the rum) and pour half the rum over the apples.
4. Beat eggs and sugar until thick and yellow. Add flour, rum/cream and cinnamon. Add currants. Pour over apples and bake at 375° for 25 minutes.

Blueberry Clafoutis

Clafoutis is the only hot pudding that is really acceptable in high summer. Possibly because, like quiche, it is traditionally served warm rather than hot. Though cherries are more traditional, I find this pudding works exceptionally well with blueberries, their tart purple-blueness seeping into the quivering egg custard.
From Nigel Slater. Serves 4-6

4 eggs
75g plain flour
80-90g caster sugar
250ml single cream
225ml full cream milk
300g blueberries
icing sugar and cream to serve

You will also need an ovenproof dish about 25cm in diameter and a little butter for greasing it with.

Butter the dish. Whizz all the ingredients except the fruit in a blender or food processor, or beat them all together with a hand-held whisk. Tip the fruit into the dish, pour over the batter,then bake in a preheated oven at 200 c/gas 6 for about 40 minutes, till the batter is lightly risen, golden and lightly firm to the touch. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Strawberry Clafouti

Good enough for a special occasion, but also easy to make classic French dessert from the Limousin region

1/2 tablespoon butter
8 ounces strawberries, hulled and halved lengthwise
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 eggs
1 cup milk
2/3 cup flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
Powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 2-qt. baking or gratin dish with the butter. Toss strawberry halves with cornstarch until evenly coated, then arrange berries, cut side down, in bottom of dish and set aside.

2. In a blender, whirl eggs, milk, flour, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt 15 seconds. Pour batter over strawberries.

3. Bake until puffed, golden brown, and set in the center, about 50 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm.

Nectarine Clafoutis

The French fruit and custard called clafoutis was first made in Limousin with unpitted cherries (pits were said to add flavor) and many French cooks still make clafoutis this way. The pudding-like dessert is also made with any soft fruits or berries. The batter comes together quickly in a blender. During baking, the custard puffs up and deflates as it cools. From THE BOSTON GLOBE, SERVES 6

Butter (for the pan)
Granulated sugar (for sprinkling)
3 eggs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups whole milk
½ cup flour
2 large nectarines, thinly sliced
Confectioners’ sugar (for sprinkling)

Set the oven at 375 degrees. Butter a 10-inch baking dish or pie plate. Sprinkle it with granulated sugar to make a thin, even layer on the bottom.

In a blender, combine the eggs, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, salt, vanilla, and milk. Whirl to blend thoroughly. Add the flour and blend until smooth.

Arrange the nectarines in the bottom of the baking dish. Pour the batter on top. Bake for 35 minutes or until the top is golden and a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and serve warm.