Apple Clafouti

One year ago:  Salisbury Steak

Clafouti is a French dessert, which is normally made with dried cherries arranged in a buttered dish and covered with a thick flan-like batter.  Apples are used in this recipe along with dried cranberries (Craisins, to be exact) and it is very healthy and wonderfully delicious.  Try experimenting with different fruits.



Ingredients:
Printable Recipe
Recipe by Mike Pagliaro, owner of Apple Spice Junction

• Dried cranberries or Craisins
• Rum or brandy, 1/2 c or as needed for soaking cranberries 
• 1/2 c butter plus 1 tbsp butter
• 3 or 4 Granny Smith apples
• 1/3 c white or brown sugar
• 2/3 c all-purpose flour 
• 5 eggs
• 2/3 c whole milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Soak the dried fruit in brandy or rum to rehydrate, about 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, peel, core and slice the apples.  Melt 1/2 c of the butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Put in the sliced apples along with the sugar and saute for 5 minutes.  Add the cranberries, reserving the rum or brandy.  Continue to saute until the apples are translucent.  Remove from heat and set aside. 

In a large bowl, beat the eggs until slightly frothy.  Slowly add in the milk and then the flour, until you have a pancake-like batter.

Remove the apples and cranberries using a slotted spoon into a large bowl, reserving as much of the drippings in the pan as possible. Fold the apple mixture into the egg mixture.  Pour the mixture in a buttered pie dish and place in the oven.

Bake for 25 minutes and then check.  You should have a lovely golden brown top and the mixture should have risen slightly.  Remove it from the oven and cool.

Meanwhile, take the skillet with the fruit drippings and heat over medium heat.  Add 1 tbsp of the butter.  Add the rum or brandy and reduce slightly.  Slice the clafouti and pour a little of the sauce from the pan over each slice.

Enjoy!