Fig Clafoutis

Clafoutis is a baked French dessert of fruit, arranged in a buttered dish and covered with a thick flan-like batter. The clafoutis is dusted with powdered sugar and served lukewarm, sometimes with cream. I like to serve it with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. This dish is very easy to make and you can use any number of different fruits in the recipe, especially stone fruits such as peaches. There is some fat in it (butter, half and half) but I’m sure you could adapt it to a lower calorie recipe if you really wanted to :-)

Prep time: 40 minutes Bake time: 35 min

• 1 cup half and half
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus more for the pan
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup flour
• Melted butter, for the pan
• 3/4 or 1 lb Black Mission figs (about 8-10)
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
• Vanilla Ice Cream or Whipped Cream

1. In a blender, combine the half and half with the 1/2 cup sugar and the eggs, vanilla, orange zest and salt.
2. Add the flour in 3 batches, pulsing for 10 seconds between additions. Let this batter stand at room temp for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
4. Brush a 9 inch baking dish or cast iron skillet with melted butter and dust with sugar.
5. Pulse the batter one more time and pour it in the dish.
6. Set the figs, halved sides up, in the dish.
7. Bake the clafoutis for 15 minutes at 425.
8. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 and bake for 20-25 minutes more, until the top is lightly golden and the custard is set.
9. Let the clafoutis cool for 5 minutes. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve warm, with ice cream or whipped cream.

Recipe is inspired by Matthew Accarrino