I seem to have come to a stage in my life when I enjoy the colder weather more than the heat. Casting my mind back, I struggle to empathise with the slender young woman who lived for the long, hot days of summer, who happily spent hours lazing on the beach and who thought nothing of baring her upper arms in a skimpy, wispy, summer dress. She’s long gone – and so are the skimpy, wispy frocks. The woman I am now embraces the cooler weather and welcomes the camouflage of warm layers, scarves and jackets. This current version of me is also very keen to get back into some of the comfort food that seems to go so well with a roaring fire, fluffy slippers and daggy, old cardigans.
One of the things I still really, really enjoy about summer is the stone fruit – it is difficult to imagine tucking into a big, juicy peach or apricot in winter woollies. These fruit are just made for bare arms to catch the drips and who on earth would consider licking runny juice from a jumper sleeve? While the bulk of the stone fruit might be well gone by now, those of us who subscribe to Jupiter Creek Farm CSA boxes are still finding the occasional late plum nestling in the produce box. The assorted varieties of plums available in Australia fruit from January right into early Autumn and it was on these that my eye fell when checking out the fruit bowl yesterday.
I feel just a little bit cheeky offering a recipe for a clafoutis as they are a very basic dish and most of us can throw one together without too many directions, but there may be one or two of you who haven’t given this charmingly simple dessert a try. Originating in France where the traditional fruit used is cherries, a clafoutis is basically a thin pancake batter poured over fruit and baked. The beauty of this dish is that either fresh or canned fruit can be used without detracting at all from the end result, it is dead simple to make, uses everyday pantry ingredients and can be served hot or at room temperature. I used the last of my autumn plums which sank in the baked batter, making a deliciously jammy layer in the bottom of the dish and served it with pouring cream.
- ½ cup caster sugar, plus 1 tbs extra
- 6-8 plums, halved, stone removed
- 3 eggs
- ½ tsp vanilla paste
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- finely grated rind of 1 lemon
- 1 cup plain flour
- ¾ cup milk
- ⅔ cup light sour cream
- Icing sugar to serve
- Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a pie dish, sprinkle with 1 tbs caster sugar, swirling to coat the bottom and sides of dish.
- Place plums face down in bottom of dish.
- Place all other ingredients in food processor and whizz until well blended.
- Pour over fruit.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes until browned and puffed up. It will fall as it cools.
- Dust with icing sugar before serving.
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{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
I love a good clafoutis Amanda, but have yet to try a plum version. My favourite would have to be a pear clafoutis.
And I don’t think it’s cheeky to share a clafoutis recipe. A lot of people I’ve come across have never heard of them.
I hear you about enjoying the cooler months…love a good shiraz and a stew too! And he plum clafoutis would be a perfect dessert.
Jennifer took the very words from my mouth… I adore clafoutis, but I haven’t tried on with plums yet… though I have seen some recipes among my hundreds of cookery books. Delicious. And I love the warmth and wintery deliciousness that comes through in this post. Beautifully presented! Thank you, my friend.
I’ve made clafoutis quite a few times but never with plums either. It looks delicious.
It’s not cold up here yet. We’re still walking around barefoot in shorts and t-shirts. We ate outside at a restaurant tonight and it wasn’t cold at all. I love the winter weather but it gets here late.
We had dessert but it wouldn’t hold a candle to your clafoutis!
One of our market stallholders sells jars of prunes in muscat and I have often wondered how these would go in a clafouti.
You have now prompted me to try this out when I am baking tomorrow!
Such a lovely dessert indeed Amanda, very elegant! It is nice to snuggle into winter Woolies, but autumn is my favorite season as I don’t like heavy frosts and freezes
Hmmm I love clafoutis. I often make it for breakfast. My fave recipe is from Julia Child, albiet a few changes in the baking bit. I don’t bother the pre baking bit. Instead I heat the empty dish in the oven beforevadding the fruit and mixture.
I remember tanning myself in the backyard-I can’t imagine doing that nowadays!
It’s getting to be clafoutis weather very quickly!
I had no idea it was so simple to make -I will try it! And I feel a little wistful for the young girl too – I still think of myself as that one… til the mirror gives a firm reality check!
This one hits the spot Amanda!
Yum clafoutis! I haven’t had one for a very long time.
My house is freezing! I am wearing a hoodie inside with hood over my head, scarf, normal socks and then explorer socks! Still cold:(
Your heater looks very inviting. Can I visit?
I am a summer girl through and through, and one of the best things about summer is the abundance of stonefruit to make fabulous desserts like this. Scrumptious.
I love the word clafoutis – the way it rolls off the tongue. Also live it made with plums, such a nice partner for the custard.
Autumn is my favourite season. I am so excited to be making all the wonderful cold weather dishes! I have never made a clafoutis but i am very curious, it looks like such a comforting dessert.
Oh who really cares. Your clafouti looks great. A perfect end to wonderful stone fruit. Happy Autumn
That’s a very beautiful looking plum clafoutis. I imagine that would be delicious served warm with cream or custard. I actually don’t like the cold weather as I find it such a bother having to put on so many layers but, I do love comfort food and that’s what good about the change of seasons xx
I love any fruit clafouti – in any weather too. I am also a fan of the daggy cardigan too !
I was never one to do much tanning. I avoid the sun where possible and embrace the cold! Bring on the cold weather!!
I am waiting very impatiently for stone fruit and berry season…um, I mean summer. But stone fruit, cherries and berries are my favorite thing about summer. And nothing better than a clafoutis but like many others here, I have never made one with plums. It is now on my list. Looks incredible!