Very Berry Vanilla Clafoutis

Susie Middleton describes a clafoutis as a "custardy, fruity, popover-y, pancake." I also describe it as a thick flan that is teaming with fruit. It is a perfect summer dessert because you eat it at room temperature, or even cold.

When I think of clafoutis, my mind immediately dreams of summer. The berries are perfectly sweet and abundantly available. I typically make a cherry clafoutis, so when I saw the recipe for a Very Berry Vanilla Clafoutis in Susie Middleton's Fresh From the Farm book, I knew that I had to try it. I've never diverted from cherries, but I'm so glad that I did! The combination of sweet and tart is perfect in this recipe.

The recipe is easy to follow and is mixed up in the blender. How simple is that? I made a couple of changes. I used salted butter and less salt, only because I did not have unsalted butter on hand. The other change that I made was to add more fruit, which meant adding a little more baking time. My family enjoys it when the clafoutis highlights the fruit and has less custard. So I obliged, and filled the pan with a mixture of raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries.

Very Berry Vanilla Clafoutis
by Tonda
adapted from Fresh From the Farm by Susie Middleton

3 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest, optional
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces fresh blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries
Confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Add the eggs, flour, whipping cream, milk, maple syrup, sugar, vanilla, orange zest (I recommend it), and salt to the blender. Blend on high to combine thoroughly. You see? I told you that the recipe is simple!

Melt the butter in a 10-inch, non-stick, ovenproof skillet (The only other dish that you will dirty for this recipe. Nice!) over medium heat. Cook until the butter just begins to brown and then add half of the batter to the skillet. Let it cook for a few seconds, and then arrange the fruit throughout the batter. Gently pour the remaining batter over the top of the fruit, and let it cook on top of the burner for a few more seconds. Carefully transfer the skillet to the preheated oven.

Bake until the clafoutis puffs up and browns around the edges and is set in the middle, approximately 22 to 24 minutes. (Mine took 34 minutes to bake because I doubled the amount of fruit. I just kept checking on it every 5 minutes after the 24 minute mark.) Allow the clafoutis to cool (and deflate) and add a generous sprinkle of powdered sugar. Cut it into wedges and serve straight out of the skillet. At times, the French serve clafoutis with a dollop of fresh whipped cream, but it's not necessary at all. Enjoy!