Chef Michelle Moore (South Pasadena, California)
Serves 6–8
For a nice change, make this rustic French dessert with pluots, a fruit mainly grown in California that is a hybrid of a plum and an apricot. A clafouti is made by pouring a pancake-like batter over a layer of fresh fruit and baking it in the oven. It is traditionally served hot following baking, but I also serve it at room temperature or even cold. Creating the batter bottom underneath the fruit is a popular technique developed by Julia Child.
½ tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup whole milk
¼ cup heavy cream
3 large eggs
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Pinch salt
1¼ pounds plums or pluots, sliced (about 3 cups)
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 9-inch, deep-dish pie pan. Set aside.
Combine the milk, cream, eggs, ½ cup of sugar, flour, vanilla, and salt in a food processor or blender, processing until smooth. Pour a ¼-inch layer of batter in the buttered dish, and bake for a few minutes until a film of batter sets in the pan. Remove from the oven.
Spread the fruit evenly over the batter. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of sugar, and pour the remaining batter evenly over the top. Bake until puffed and golden brown (a knife inserted in the center should come out clean; about 40–50 minutes). Remove from the oven and allow to cool briefly on a rack.
Using a small strainer, dust the top with powdered sugar. Serve immediately, or at room temperature or chilled. If served hot, serve with a little cream.
Chef’s Tip
Try using different fruits such as peaches, nectarines, cherries, berries, or a combination. In place of the powdered sugar, you can sprinkle white sugar over the top prior to baking.