clafoutis

a clafoutis is a french baked custard-like dessert which is typically made with fresh fruit (traditionally cherries) and a light batter. it originates from limousin in southern france (limoges in french) from the 19th century. when made with fruit other than cherries it can also go by the name of flognarde (from the french dialect occitan).

it is a fairly light dessert, not too sweet and super tasty. i am unsure when it first came onto my radar exactly, but i’ve been anxious to try to make one. recently i came across a recipe and the photo looked so delicious that i was salivating just looking at it. so i finally rolled up my sleeves and started baking. below is a picture of my very first clafoutis: it was very easy to make, and yes, it was super yummy! i have to secretly admit, it also is delicious in the morning with coffee!

please note that i have slightly altered my recipe from the one i originally found.

ingredients

1 lb ~ 450g -fresh fruit -here i used blackberries

2 tbsp ~ 30ml -butter -plus some extra to butter the dish

1 cup ~ 250ml -flour

1 pkg ~ 100g / 1 cup -ground almonds -
you can use a coffee grinder to grind whole almonds

1 cup ~ 250ml -milk

1/2 cup ~ 125ml -10% cream -also called half & half

4 -large eggs

2/3 cup ~ 150ml -sugar

1 tsp ~ 5ml -vanilla extract

1/2 tsp ~ 2.5ml -salt -can omit if using salted butter

2 tbsp ~ 30ml -icing sugar -for decoration

about the fruit: although traditionally made with cherries, pitting those can be time-consuming, so choose any fruit you like. berries are fantastic for it, and i really love the blackberry clafoutis — blueberry being my second favourite. so whichever is your favourite fruit, why not try that one!

• preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC) and place the rack in the center of oven.

• wash the fruit. remove pits if using cherries or cut into pieces if using larger fruit.

• melt the butter. keep some extra at room-temperature for buttering the dish.

• in a food processor or with a hand mixer, combine the flour, ground almonds, milk, cream, eggs, sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract and salt.

• mix until batter is completely smooth. note: the batter will be fairly liquid

• butter a 10-inch (25cm) ceramic or earthenware dish (if you have a french dish like the one in the photo, they are actually designed for this type of dessert — mine is a 12-inch made by emile henry)

• pour 1/3 of the batter into the dish and bake until very lightly set — about 5 minutes. this step prevents the fruit from settling at the bottom of the clafoutis.

• remove from oven and place the fruit evenly over the batter.

• gently pour the remaining batter evenly over the fruit and return to oven — big emphasis on “gently” otherwise, well, you’ll see what happens to the fruit.

• bake until puffed and golden brown around the edge, 45-50 minutes.

• let cool and then sprinkle with icing sugar if desired.

you can serve it warm or at room-temperature, as you wish, and with ice cream on the side if your heart desires. it is also very good cold the next day, although i prefer the warmer versions. so enjoy!

additional note: i have now made this dessert so many times for various occasions and every single time it’s been a huge hit! just sayin’ ;)

more info on clafoutis

please let me know if you enjoy this french delight by leaving me a comment ~ thanks!

balsamic martini

mmm... i guess this isn’t really a food item, but in my defense i first saw this odd combination on a bistro menu and it was listed under the appetizers. so there! besides, it is so yummy, you’ll appreciate that i included it... and to all those people whose addiction i am responsible for, this is a perfect tribute to you for my new blog!

first of all i would like to say that this is no amateur martini. if you are of the old school and can appreciate a classic martini (gin and vermouth), then please join me in the degustation of this lovely cocktail. as you will notice, there is not much going on with the visual aspect of this drink, but rest assured that your taste buds will not be left indifferent!

the ingredients

secondly you will need two perfect ingredients for this special martini: a premium vodka and a very aged balsamic vinegar (12 years) — and btw, neither are inexpensive nor expandable. you can try with other average ingredients, but if you say it’s not yummy then you’ll understand why.

the recipe

pour 2oz or 60ml of premium frozen cold vodka (it doesn’t actually freeze so you can keep it in the freezer so it’s very cold) then add a big drop of aged balsamic vinegar (12 years). simple enough? the first picture shows my version of a big drop! the second picture shows the colouring once the martini is slightly stirred. i recommend that you start exploring with a smaller drop and increase it as your taste gets adjusted to the new flavour. / the more complicated issues are the ingredients and i will now address those.

the vodka & the taste test

if you know a thing or two about vodka, you will appreciate the difference between a regular and a premium vodka. if you are on unfamiliar territory, you can give yourself a taste test. the way to do this, is to first poor a shot of each vodka into small glasses. then have a glass of water ready (not too cold). you must first get your nose into the glass, just like you would with wine. what are the experiences of your nose? the obvious will be the smell of alcohol, but describe it as best you can. then have a small sip, and like wine again, swirl it a little in your mouth. describe how that feels, and what your taste bud experience is. before you start the same process with the next vodka, have a sip of water. also remember to start your taste test with the more modest vodka first. this tasting process was taught to me many years ago by a polish vodka client.

in my modest experience, premium vodkas are usually smoother, and the alcohol smell and taste are less flamboyant. a smoother vodka also feels thicker on the tongue, and not as sharp. some premium vodkas include grey goose, 360º, chopin, van gogh, effen, belvedere, just to name a few (my usual being grey goose). as for prices, you are looking at double the amount of a regular vodka, so in canada this will translate to about $50 for a 750ml bottle.

there is a special addition i particularly would like to highlight (14.08.2010) which is the organic prairie vodka. i recently attended a tasting event and was completely floored by its smoothness. it is by far my new favourite vodka (i really did fall in love with it) and all i kept thinking was that it would make a fantastic partner to this martini. what’s more, for a premium and organic vodka, it sells for only $38 in canada.

the balsamic vinegar

this, without a doubt will be the trickiest. when a balsamic vinegar is being aged, it gets much thicker and much sweeter, its tartness not eliminated but certainly softened by its sweetness. for this martini, both are important and necessary. i was lucky enough that one day while shopping for my balsamic vinegar, a store was displaying the whole family of various vintages for a taste test. at that point i was able to select the one which i felt would best suit this martini. i picked the 12 years simply because the 15 years was much too sweet and too thick (almost like molasses) and the 10 years was much too tart, not having enough sugars in it, and therefore also not syrupy enough. / i can only hope that you one day have the chance i had to taste them all side-by-side and understand better the complexity of balsamic vinegars.

for now, and to make your job easier, this is the one i use: fattoria estense, aceto balsamico di modena, gran riserva, 12 years. it sells for $40-42 and if you’re lucky enough to live in vancouver, you can find it at the gourmet warehouse for $32. (the gourmet warehouse is known for bringing gourmet items to your table at the best prices)

last words of wisdom... please enjoy!

ps. if you think of something decorative that would work in this martini, please let me know!

shown here: fattoria estense balsamic vinegar, premium vodka 360º (a company with a huge commitment to sustainability) and the result, a perfect and very yummy martini!

please let me know if you enjoy this cocktail by leaving me a comment ~ thanks!