Apple Clafouti
Serves 6 - 8
Adapted from Saveur
This is the perfect fall dessert here in Virginia, where apples flourish. A cla-fou'-tee is a fruit filled batter cake, similar to a cobbler, but with the addition of eggs so it's more custard-like. Originally a specialty of the Limousin region of France, you will see recipes for clafouti using various fruits in season. Use a firm, tart apple for this recipe, or if using a sweeter apple, reduce the sugar a bit. Serve hot with ice cream and drizzle pan juices over the finished clafouti; reheat leftovers in the microwave.
Batter
| 4 eggs |
| 1 cup milk or half and half |
| 4 T. butter, melted, plus 1T butter |
| 1 tsp. vanilla extract |
| ⅔ cup all-purpose flour |
| ½ cup sugar |
| ½ tsp. salt |
Put all ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth; set aside. Place 1 T. butter in a 10" pie plate and melt in oven preheated to 400°, greasing sides of plate.
Apples
| 3 T. unsalted butter |
| 4 tart apples (like Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and sliced |
| ½ cup plus 1 tsp. sugar |
| 3 T. Rum flavoring (or a combination of your favorite flavors) or fruit flavored brandy |
| Ground cinnamon |
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples, ½ cup of the sugar and brandy and cook until crisp/tender and glazed over.
Finishing:
Pour half batter into hot pie plate with melted butter; arrange warm apple slices over batter (reserve juices); pour remaining batter over apples. Sprinkle 1 tsp. sugar and a little cinnamon over batter and bake until golden and set in the center, 25 - 30 minutes. Drizzle with warm reserved apple juices and some ice cream.