Many moons ago, my dear girlfriend Vic announced while we were having our weekly noodles, that she was going to make a clafoutis for dessert for the weekend. It was our monthly Sunday gang lunch and Vic was the queen of great puds.
“A what?” I’d asked whizzing through the recipe index in my head until I vaguely remembered a custardy thing. “Oh good.” My enthusiasm wasn’t ripe enough for Vic.
“Yes an apricot clafoutis.” She was adamant, dessert was therefore decided. Vic was pregnant at the time and the bump was affectionally known as Joan. I suggested if bump turned out to be a girl maybe Clafoutis could be in the mix as an unusual girls name. Vic, her husband and I had recently had a very funny night in a local Japanese restaurant trying to conjure up the right name for the baby to be. She frowned at me at the mere suggestion of a dessert for a baby’s name. But I had visions from then on in of Vic having a daughter named Clafoutis and bellowing instructions across fields at various pony club rallies, “Kick on Clafoutis!” Very silly but kept me giggling for a very long time.
The Apricot Clafoutis was delicious and there was none left once the gang got stuck in. Thankfully Vic went on to have a little boy called Felix shortly after.
Roll forward a decade and Chef Des Harris is in the VC kitchen planning a meal for a fabulous tour group staying with us for the night. We wanted to use the seasonal fruits, especially the plums hanging on the trees at VC and the moment he said “how about a Clafoutis?” I had to stifle the giggles.
As one could only expect from Des the plum and blueberry clafoutis we served for the guests was out of this world. Incredibly easy to make, light and delicious and with that tell tale sign of silence around the table, followed by a chorus of “yums” and “that was amazing” I knew we were onto a winner.
Chef has kindly shared his version of this dessert with us here. I am looking forward to trying an autumn version with persimmon and spices. Maybe I’ll name my next dog Clafoutis?
Makes 6-7 (10cm Spanish tapas dish)
Ingredients
225g cream
½ teas vanilla essence
3 egg yolks (size7)
126g castor sugar
½ lemon zest
37g gluten free flour (Edmonds)
4½ egg whites (size7)
Pinch of sea salt
2 punnets of blueberries
75g sour cream or crème fraiche
150g cream
Icing sugar to taste plus icing sugar for dusting
Method
1. For the batter whisk together the yolks, sugar and lemon zest until light and creamy.
2. Heat the cream and vanilla essence together until almost boiling.
3. Slowly whisk the scalded cream onto the creamy yolks and sugar.
4. Put back into the saucepan and on a low heat cook the cream anglaise to 80 degrees stirring with a wooden spoon continuously.
5. Once the creme anglaise is thick whisk the gluten free flour into it.
6. Transfer into a bowl set over ice or alternatively refrigerate until cold.
7. Once cold proceed to whisk the egg whites with the pinch of salt until thick but not dry.
8. Fold together with the cold cream anglaise maintaining as much volume as possible.
9. It’s best to leave the mix to relax in the fridge for 2-3 hours before baking.
Baking and finishing
10. Set the oven to 180 degrees with the oven rack set in the middle of the oven.
11. Lightly coat the inside of your shallow ramekins / baking dishes with kitchen spray.
12. Generously add blueberries and ladle to the top with the batter.
13. Cook the clafoutis for approx. 12 minutes until risen, golden & set
14. While waiting, whisk together the creams until soft peak, adding a little icing sugar to taste if you wish.
15. Serve the clafoutis hot from the oven dredged in icing sugar with the cream to the side.