Raspberry clafouti: French dessert that's a mouthful
Something like a custardy baked pancake, clafouti is a French dessert that showcases fruit, traditionally cherries, covered with a thick, flanlike batter. Often dusted with powdered sugar, it’s served lukewarm or within six hours, keeping it at room temperature. I like to serve it with sweetened whipped cream or whipped crème fraiche. Leftovers, stored in the fridge, make a great breakfast treat, topped with sweetened yogurt and additional berries. In this rendition, fresh raspberries are the star.
Raspberry clafouti
Yield: About 6servings
INGREDIENTS
Soft butter for greasing baking dish 3cups fresh raspberries
1⁄2 cup plus 1tablespoon granulated sugar, divided use
Optional: 1 teaspoon dried lavender buds; see cook’s notes
1⁄2 cup whole milk; see cook’s notes 1⁄2 cup (4ounces) crème fraiche 4 large eggs
Pinch of salt
1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
Powdered sugar
For serving as a dessert: sweetened whipped cream or whipped crème fraiche
Cook’s notes: If you grow lavender, use the dried buds in this dish. The dried blooms are whirled in a food processor or blender to make lavender-scented sugar. Generally, I don’t have whole milk on hand, but I often have a container of whipping cream. So, I mix a little of that into my milk that is 2% fat.
PROCEDURE
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 375degrees. Butter a 9-inch ceramic baking dish, a 2-quart gratin dish or a 9-inch cake pan.
2. In medium bowl, gently toss raspberries with 1tablespoon sugar; set aside while preparing the remaining ingredients.
3. If using dried lavender buds: In food processor or blender, combine 1⁄2 cup sugar with lavender and process 2minutes until buds are mostly ground. Add milk, crème fraiche, eggs and salt. Process to combine. Add flour and pulse just to combine.
4. Arrange berries in prepared baking dish, then scrape egg mixture over them. Bake until “cake” is golden and center springs back when lightly touched, about 35minutes.
5. Transfer to wire rack and cool. Dust with powdered sugar (put sugar in a fine-mesh sieve and shake over the top). Serve as a dessert accompanied with sweetened whipped cream or whipped crème fraiche.
Source: “Dinner in French,” by Melissa Clark (Clarkson Potter, $37.50)