PLUM CLAFOUTIS

I ATE my first clafoutis in France in the Sixties, when I was working as an au pair. It was made with damsons we’d picked off the tree growing behind the village church. I still think that damsons make the best clafoutis. Now, as a septuagenarian, I’m lucky enough to have a damson tree in my garden. Every year, it gives me buckets and buckets of fruit. Why doesn’t anyone sell them commercially? It’s crazy. If you can make a Yorkshire pudding, you can make this heavenly plum pud. If you can get hold of damsons, so much the better, but cherries, greengages, peaches and apricots are all delicious, too. SERVES 4-6 For the pudding 1 tsp vanilla extract 150ml milk 100ml double cream 4 medium eggs 100g caster sugar 30g plain flour Pinch of salt 20g butter 1 tbsp soft brown sugar 6 large plums, or 400g damsons 1 ½ tsp ground allspice To serve Icing sugar Single cream (optional) HEAT the oven to 180c/fan 160c/gas 4. Blend together the vanilla extract, milk, double cream, eggs, caster sugar, flour and salt in a liquidiser, then leave for the flour to swell in the liquid for 20 minutes or so. Meanwhile, spread the butter in a shallow, wide, 1.25-litre baking dish. Sprinkle in the brown sugar. Halve and stone the plums or damsons, then spread them evenly in the dish. Dust over the allspice, then roast for ten minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately pour over the batter. Bake in the centre of the oven for 35 minutes. The clafoutis should be risen and brown. Dust with icing sugar and serve at once, with cream if you like.

PRUE SAYS: For an even more amazing clafoutis, add a glug of brandy to the plums before baking. Or, instead of fresh fruit, use a jar of cherries marinated in kirsch or readyto-eat dried apricots with a slug of amaretto liqueur.