Quick and easy

“A baked French dessert of fruit, traditionally black cherries, arranged in a buttered dish and covered with a thick flan-like batter. The clafoutis is dusted with powdered sugar and served lukewarm, sometimes with cream. A traditional Limousin clafoutis contains pits of the cherries.  The pits contain amygdalin, the active chemical in almond extract, so during baking a small amount of amygdalin from the pits is released into the clafoutis, adding a complementary note to its flavor.”

I’m not really the sweet tooth but I do like this quick and light dessert. It’s very fluffy and versatile with adding a number of different fruits such as red cherries, plums, prunes, apples, pears, cranberries or blackberries.

You will need:

4 eggs
50g unsalted butter
110g brown sugar
75g caster sugar
50g plain sugar
120g almond meal
160ml milk
10ml / 1 tablespoon cream
1 tbs vanilla extract or a pinch of cinnamon
3 tablespoon evaporated brandy  (optional)

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees. Start with the apples, by cutting them in half then coring and cutting into four wedges. In a small pan, add the butter on a medium to low heat and start caramelising the apples then add the caster sugar. Stir lightly, till brown in colour and leave it to cool aside. Coat the baking tin with butter and leave it to side in the fridge till you’re ready to use it. For the mix, combine the brown sugar, eggs, sifted flour, almond meal, milk, cream, cinammon/vanilla extract and brandy. Gradually whisk mixture until smooth. Place the apples into the baking dish then pour mixture over apples. Bake clafoutis for 40 minutes. Serve warm, dusted with sifted icing sugar and cream or ice cream.