Sunday 3 March 2013

Clafoutis - A French Tea Time Treat

Bonjour, Mesdames et Messieurs.Tout est allé un peu français autour de ces pièces. 

The reason for this is twofold. Number one; I recently purchased a new French Brassiere cookbook by Michelin starred Daniel Galmiche and wanted to use it and two; Kate and Karen of What Kate Baked and Lavender and Lovage are doing a French themed tea time treat for their monthly challenge, a coincidence I'm more than happy to get behind.

Now say what you like about the French and most people generally do, usually in relation to a small squishy amphibian, but you cannot deny they do some good grub. Inventing fine dining or haute cuisine in the 18th century under La Varenne and Antonin Careme before being fine tuned by the Grand Master of fine dining, Georges Auguste Escoffier.
But, as well as all that fancy schmancy stuff, there is Brassiere cooking which is a lot simpler with local recipes, simple ingredients and techniques and most important of all, bags of flavour.

One of the classic French brassiere desserts is the Clafoutis. A simple dish of fruit, usually cherries surrounded and baked in a flan batter mixture before being served on its own or with fresh cream, C'est Magnifique.


This version uses raspberries and blueberries to symbolise the flags of both our fine countries and our mutual love of good food.....

Ok fine, there were blueberries and raspberries available at the market so I bought them, the other reason sounds better though.

Ingredients
125g Raspberries
125g Blueberries
zest of one lime/lemon
125g caster sugar
50g butter, half soft/half melted
85g plain flour
a pinch of salt
1 egg
1egg yolk
300ml full fat milk

Method
Preheat the oven to 180C (fan)
Put the berries into a bowl with the zest and 2 tbsp of the sugar and leave for 15 minutes.
Grease a large oven proof dish with the butter and sprinkle 3tbsp of the sugar around the dish, coating all sides.
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. in another bowl whisk the egg, egg yolk and sugar together then slowly add to the flour and salt.
Incorporate into a smooth batter.
Slowly add the milk, stir until the batter resembles crepe batter then add the melted butter and mix until combined.
Spread the fruit on the base of the dish and pour over the batter.
Bake for around 25 minutes until the tip of a sharp knife can be removed clean.

Jouir




3 comments:

  1. I need to try this keep meaning too looks great

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  2. C'est magnifique! I've been meaning to try making clafoutis for sometime... I think it's time now.

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  3. C'est formidable et très LUSH! I also LOVE Brasserie style food and recipes and this is a lovely entry! Karen

    ReplyDelete