Quick Easy Elegant Clafoutis Carrie Sheridan Recipes

BASIC CLAFOUTIS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and butter until the sugar is dissolved. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Pour the batter into a cast iron skillet or pie pan.
• 2. Now add your favorite fruit or flavoring (see below). Bake until the clafoutis is beautifully puffed and golden, 35-40 minutes. Serve immediately.
• Clafoutis Variations: Concord Grape Clafoutis: Once the batter is in the skillet, scatter 2 cups slightly crushed Concord or other black or red grapes on top. Cherry Clafoutis: Scatter 2 cups pitted cherries onto the batter once it's poured into pie plates. Pear Clafoutis with Pear Eau de Vie: Core 1 ripe pear and cut into pieces. Pour the batter into the skillet and top with the pear pieces. Bake. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons eau de vie and serve immediately. Milk Chocolate and Hazelnut Clafoutis: Melt 1 cup chopped milk chocolate in a large mixing bowl set above a simmering pot of water. Fold in the clafoutis batter until smooth and fully incorporated. Pour into a skillet or pie plate, sprinkle with 1/4 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts, and bake.

CLAFOUTIS WITH KIRSCH -- CARRIE SHERIDAN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees.
• Butter a 9-inch cast iron pan or a ceramic pan or cake pan.
• Beat the eggs until completely blended.
• Combine the milk, kirsch, vanilla and add to the well-beaten eggs.
• Combine the flour, sugar and salt well.
• Add the flour mixture to the egg-milk mixture and blend well, but not very long.
• All of this can be done in steps in a blender.
• Pour the batter into the buttered skillet or dish, distribute the cherries or fruit evenly over the top.
• Bake until a skewer comes out clean and a golden crust has formed on the top and bottom of the clafoutis, about 30 minutes. A thermometer inserted in the middle should register 160 degrees.
• Dust with powdered sugar just before serving -- Best served just warm.
• Can be refrigerated and served cold OR re-warmed -- even a day later.

THE BBC'S BERRIES AND ALMOND CLAFOUTIS -- CARRIE SHERIDAN

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Butter a 9-inch ovenproof dish and scatter the berries over the dish.
• Blend all the ingredients in a blender (or whisk them well) until smooth and pout the batter over the berries.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until the pudding-custard has risen and turned a light golden brown.
• Best served just warm -- or refrigerated and then reheated the next day.
• Serves 4-6 -- .

BERRY CLAFOUTIS WITH GROUND ALMONDS -- CARRIE SHERIDAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• butter 4 shallow 1-cup ovenproof dishes or 1 9-inch dish.
• Divide the blueberries and raspberries between the dishes.
• In a bowl, whisk the eggs to blend well and add milk until well-combined. Then whisk in the ground almonds, flour and 1/3 cup of the sugar.
• Pour this batter over the berries and then dot with the butter, sprinking with the remaining sugar.
• Place in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes , until puffed and golden but still a little creamy --
• this is best served as just warm -- or refrigerated and reheated the next day -- .

CHEAT'S CLAFOUTIS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 190C/gas 5/fan 170C. Lightly oil a shallow 1.3 litre baking dish. Gently heat the cherries and jam in a large saucepan, stirring all the time until the jam melts over the cherries. Tip them into the dish and sprinkle with the lemon zest and juice.
• Whizz the flour, eggs, milk, cinnamon and sugar in a food processor for 30 seconds until smooth. Pour over the cherries, then put the dish on a baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the custard is set and the jam is beginning to bubble through. Dust with icing sugar and serve hot.

QUICK, EASY, ELEGANT CLAFOUTIS -- CARRIE SHERIDAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Butter a shallow baking dish or pie pan, preferably ceramic.
• Arrange fruit (you can use anything but cut in small pieces).
• Add almonds.
• Whisk together the eggs, salt and only 1/2 cup of the sugar until thoroughly blended.
• Whisk the flour into the egg mixture.
• Add the milk and blend thoroughly (can use a blender at each stage).
• DO NOT OVERBEAT - keep it tender.
• Pour the egg, milk, flour mixture over the fruit.
• Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar over the top and dot with butter.
• Bake for 30 minutes, until golden.
• To test if done, a thermometer should register 160 degrees when inserted.
• Clafoutis is best served just warm.