Recipe of the Week: Cranberry Pear Clafouti
This scrumptious dessert is a wonderful make ahead treat for the whole family to enjoy. I modify an old recipe that a friend found in a cooking magazine and I have been making it since. I love baking it and having it ready in case if company drops by or serving it at a dinner party, it makes the whole house smell like a bakery. The creamy consistency and buttery flavor make it a favorite with my entire family but it is the easy preparation that makes it my favorite. Serves eight. (Chef tip: I like to use Bosh pear for this preparation. They tend to be firmer and better in flavor.)
4 firm-ripe pears, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry cranberries soaked in sweet liquor
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sliced blanched almonds, toasted
3/4 cup whole milk
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 large eggs, beaten lightly
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup self-rising cake flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
Preheat the oven to 400F and butter a 10-by-2-inch round baking dish. In the dish, toss the pears and cranberries gently with the lemon juice and spread them evenly in the dish.
In a food processor grind fine 1/2 cup of the almonds, add the milk, six tablespoons of the butter, the eggs, the vanilla sugar, and the almond extract, and blend the mixture until it is smooth.
In a bowl whisk together the flour, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and a pinch of salt and stir in the milk mixture, stirring until the batter is combined well. Pour the batter over the pears and cranberries, drizzle it with the remaining two tablespoons butter, and sprinkle it with the remaining two tablespoons sugar and remaining 1/4 cup almonds.
Bake the clafouti in the middle of the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until it is golden brown, and let it cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Serve the clafouti warm with a dusting of powder sugar.