Brown butter plum clafoutis
“The wow-factor of a clafoutis is inversely proportional to the ease of making one. Just before dinner, make a quick batter, lay some beautiful seasonal fruit into a baking dish and pour the batter over the top. Pop it in the oven while you eat your meal and enjoy a satisfyingly creamy, fruit-based, baked custard pudding to follow. No pastry, no fuss. You can even make the batter in advance and use it straight from the fridge. Cherry clafoutis is a late-spring classic – just be sure to tell your guests to mind the pips. Any stone fruit works in summer, and fig clafoutis is for early autumn. Use poached quinces in winter for a fireside dessert.” - Michael & Pippa James
SERVES 4
4 medium-sized blood plums
50g unsalted butter
2 medium eggs, at room temperature
60g raw sugar
50g plain (all-purpose) flour
50g ground almonds
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped (or 1 tsp vanilla paste)
pinch of fine sea salt
300g full-cream milk
unsalted butter, for greasing
vanilla bean ice cream, to serve
Halve the plums and remove the stones. Cut each half into three wedges and set aside.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat, and cook until it starts to foam and gives off a nutty aroma. Remove from the heat and pass it through a fine sieve into a small bowl.
Whisk the eggs and sugar in a medium bowl to combine. Add the flour, ground almonds, vanilla and salt and mix well. Add the milk and butter, and whisk until combined, with no lumps. Rest the mixture in the fridge for 20 minutes, or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375˚F). Brush four shallow dishes, roughly 15 cm (6 in) in diameter, with butter. Arrange 5–6 wedges of plum in each dish, cut-side up, then pour the batter around the fruit. You should still be able to see the tops of the plums.
Bake for 20–25 minutes until the top is golden and there is a slight wobble in the centre. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then serve hot with a scoop of your favourite ice cream on top, or simply enjoy the texture of the fruit and baked custard together.
This is an edited extract from Sweet Seasons by Michael & Pippa James (Hardie Grant Books, RRP $60). 📷 Rochelle Eagle.