[simonj]

Clafoutis is a simple French dessert - very easy to make, super simple,
but it looks really impressive.

As always there are more tips and pics at my garden blog, link in signature.
Also recently posted a lot of pictures of a snow bound connemara, so feel free to visit and take a look-see

Traditionally in France Clafoutis is made with cherries.

You can use apples, pears, prunes, blackberries etc.
but in Limousin where the dish comes from if cherries are
not used its more properly called Flaugnarde.

You can use most garden fruits for this, I used shop bought plums,
sliced and stoned, and my neighbour Judahs eggs.

There are tons of recipes and variations, including some
that want pre-heating and cooling of the milk and cream,
but this is the simplelest way I have found.

In addition to this posting I have added a richer, more savory buttermilk version in a posting further down

It is good cold, but best served warm - ideal as a dessert
when you are doing other things in the oven like baked potatos
- as you will be prepping and serving this after the same meal,
using the same temperature.

INGREDIENTS

100 gm - ½ cup - sugar (reserve 1 Tbsp. to dust baking dish)
100 gm - 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
200 ml - ¾ cup - milk
50 ml - ¼ cup heavy cream
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Knob of butter - about an ounce, enough to grease the cooking dish
Fruit of choice to fill

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180 deg. C

In a blender, combine all the the ingredients except the fruit and butter, and blend on high for 1 minute.

Take a good sized baking dish, add the butter and put it in the oven
until the butter is foaming.

Remove the baking dish and then spread the butter around
the base and sides.

Dust the dish lightly with a tsp of sugar.

Pour in half the batter

Now layer in the fruit in the partly filled pan, floating on the
lower level of batter

Pour on the remaining batter and bake until the top puffs
and starts to turn golden-brown, about 45-60 minutes.

Serve warm with a little flavoured whipped cream,
I added lime zest and sherry to mine.

[Sive]

Hi Simonj this sounds SO good.....but I've read it through a couple of times and am not sure how much butter you need.....is it just enough to grease the pan ?

[simonj]

A knob, about an ounce of butter will do the trick, enough to grease the pan as you say - but make sure its lightly foaming.

[mountainy man]

looks fantastic, but name sounds like a complaint you'd need an ointment for

[simonj]

[simonj]

Just to say, as usual, I messed around with the basic recipe and
developed an Irish twist.

This variation on the classic Clafoutis gives a richer, more savory pastry.

I like to use Cuinneog dairy products as they are from the
next county, but more importantly they really give a great flavour.

Connemara Buttermilk Clafoutis

100 gm - ½ teacup sugar (reserve 1 Tbsp. to dust baking dish)
100 gm - 2/3 teacup all-purpose flour
200 ml - ¾ teacup buttermilk
50 ml - ¼ tea cup heavy cream
3 eggs
Level teaspoon baking soda or baking powder
1 teaspoon Honey
pinch of salt

Knob of butter - about an ounce - to grease baking dish
Fruit of choice to fill

The method is identical to the classic version, and takes
just a little longer to cook. The above measures take about 50
minutes at 180 deg C in a preheated fan assisted oven.