Rustic Blueberry Clafoutis

A clafoutis is a common sweet found in France at a neighborhood salon de thé (literally a "teahouse" but this translation fails to give it justice) or boulangerie. Imagine a thick custardy pancake mixed with seasonal fresh fruit baked until a golden crust starts to rise. Traditionally served cold and made with cherries, a clafoutis can be eaten in the morning or afternoon -- great with coffee or tea -- or as a dessert. In addition to cherries and blueberries, I like to use fruits with an edge of tartness to counter the richness of the batter (which includes four eggs) such as raspberries, apricots, peaches or Pink Lady apples. I also like it fresh out of the oven served with homemade whipping cream or French vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients –

• Four eggs

• I cup milk

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (can substitute gluten free flour)

• 3/4 cup sugar

• Teaspoon salt

• Teaspoon vanilla

• Two teaspoons fleur d’oranger (orange blossom water)

• Two cups fresh seasonal fruit

• 1 tablespoon crème fraiche

• 1 tablespoon brandy (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the eggs, salt, vanilla, fleur d’oranger, crème fraiche, and 1/4 cup sugar. Then pour in 1 cup milk and whisk until the batter has the consistency of eggnog. Then slowly sift 1 cup flour into the batter and continue whisking. Coat the inside of a cast-iron skillet using a stick of butter or olive oil (or use parchment paper). Pour half the batter in the cast-iron and place in oven for 5 minutes. Remove the cast-iron from the oven and add fruit into the batter. Pour over 1/4 cup sugar. Then, pour the remaining batter into the cast-iron and top off evenly with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Put back into oven and cook for 30 minutes until a golden crust starts to rise.