Blackberry Clafoutis

Julia Child is one of my culinary heroes! This is one of her french dessert recipes. Clafoutis is a rustic, baked French dessert of fruit, 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. I was inspired to make this recipe after picking blackberries at “my farm” as I affectionately call it (aka, my weekly CSA farm share). In July, we have rows and rows of beautiful blackberry bushes that are ripening and changing from bright red to deep purplish-black. Only pick the very dark ones for optimum sweetness. They are like little candied gems bursting with sweetness and antioxidants. While they are incredible to enjoy, as is, I wanted to find a dessert worthy of their greatness, so I turned to Julia’s cookbook, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” for inspiration. The clafoutis batter served as the perfect backdrop to accompany these berries. If you don’t have blackberries on hand, blueberries, pears, apples, plums or cherries can be substituted, (however, Julia altered the amounts of some of the ingredients depending on the moisture level of the fruit, so I would suggest checking out her exact measurements.) Bon Appetit!

INGREDIENTS

Butter for pan
1 1/4 cups whole or 2 percent milk
2/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon almond extract
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup flour
3 generous cups blackberries or blueberries, rinsed and well-drained
Powdered sugar in a shaker

PREPARATION

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a medium-size flameproof baking dish at least 1 1/2 inches deep.
Place the milk, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, and flour in a blender. Blend at top speed until smooth and frothy, about 1 minute.
Pour a 1/4-inch layer of batter in the baking dish. Turn on a stove burner to low and set the dish on top for a minute or two, until a film of batter has set in the bottom of the dish. Remove from heat.
Spread berries over the batter and sprinkle on the remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar. Pour on the rest of the batter and smooth with the back of a spoon. Place in the center of the oven and bake about 50 minutes, until the top is puffed and browned and a tester plunged into its center comes out clean.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving. (Clafoutis need not be served hot, but should still be warm. It will sink slightly as it cools.)