Sunday, August 31, 2008

Secret Baking, part II


There was a moment that I realized blueberries were all around me.  I don't know if it was the four cooking magazines I get or if I was struck by something on the food network or if America's Test Kitchen ran a program.  But, there I was drawn to the blueberries, standing in the Stop 'n' Shop staring at them wondering what can I do with them.  You see, they aren't my favorite fruit, but Michael really, really likes them.  So, being a good partner, I wanted to surprise him with a fresh dessert with one of his favorite ingredients.  

What the hell was I going to do with them?  I thought muffins, too obvious.  I thought, ice cream, too easy.  I thought I've always wanted to make a clafouti.  So, I spent the rest of the day online searching for a recipe that used blueberries instead of the usual cherries.  I went every where.  Finally,  I realized I should just look at my cook books.  I have Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, et. al. on my shelf. (Remembering the reason I wanted to start the blog thing was because I met Julie Powell of Julie and Julia fame and got to speak with her, I was inspired to follow.)

Duh,  when you are looking for something French, consult with Julia first.  It was right there on page 657.  Her recipe follows.  

My version turned out a bit eggy and not as flan/custardy as I'd hoped. And all my berries floated to the top.  Luckily, I can try it again.  A really simple recipe to use any fruit. Sadly, after all that research and planning, my honey got very ill and couldn't even try a bite.

Clafouti – Julie Child

1 1/4 cup Milk
1/3 cup Sugar
3 Eggs
1 T Vanilla extract
1/8 tsp Salt
1/2 C flour
3 cups Blueberries (or fruit you have)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a blender, mix milk, 1/3 cup sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt and flour.

Pour a 1/4 inch layer into a lightly greased baking dish and bake for a few minutes until lightly set.

Remove from oven and sprinkle berries over batter then pour in remaining batter.

Bake for 45-60 minutes until puffy and golden brown.

Can use other fruit instead of blueberries. If using a sharper fruit, sprinkle an extra 1/3 cup sugar over the fruit.

Bake Through
Robb

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