There are many different clafouti recipes out there. We enjoy this one and so do the guests for whom we’ve made it.
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup half and half*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 apples cut into thinly sliced wedges**
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- Powdered sugar for garnish
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
Pre-heat oven to 400°F. Combine flour, sugar, and salt. Whisk in eggs, cream and vanilla. Add 3 tablespoons melted butter and stir until smooth.
Heat a 9 or 10 inch oven-proof skillet over medium-low heat.*** Spray skillet with cooking spray or coat with a small amount of butter. Add batter to skillet and cook a few minutes—just until it begins to set.
Combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Add apple slices and toss to coat. Place the apple slices in a decorative pattern on batter in the skillet. Put skillet in oven, lower heat to 375°F and bake for 20 minutes, until center is firm, top will be slightly brown, and it has risen in the pan. Slice and serve immediately.
*For a lower fat version you can also use 1/3 cup low fat cottage cheese and 1/3 cup plain yogurt, puree in food processor until smooth, and then add 1/3 cup milk (Julee Rosso’s Low Fat blend in Great Good Food). The texture will be bit different. Or use 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup half-and-half.
**We’ve also made this with pears and substitute 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg for the cinnamon. In the summer lemon zest and blueberries (1 cup) is a favorite at The Comstock House. As is our “sunflower clafouti”—place peach wedges around the outside edge of the pan with blueberries in the center for the eye of the flower!
***A cast iron skillet works best—be careful not to have heat too high or bottom will burn.