Chocolate, Cherry and Blackberry Clafoutis
The creamy texture of a clafoutis, enhanced by a rich chocolate flavor and juicy seasonal fruits.
Makes 5 individual clafoutis
Ingredients
6 oz [375 g] cherries, halved and pitted
6 oz [375 g] blackberries
6 tbsp [90 ml] whole milk
1 tbsp [15 ml] cornstarch
1 tbsp [15 ml] best quality cocoa powder (such as Valhrona)
2 tbsp [30 ml] all-purpose flour
2 oz [125 g] 70% dark chocolate
4 tbsp [60 ml] butter
2½ tbsp [37 ml] cane sugar
Whipped cream or powdered sugar, to serve
Method
Preheat oven to 350°F [175°C].
Butter 5 small individual ramekins (about 3 in [7.5 cm] in diameter and place on a baking sheet. Divide the cherries and blackberries between the 5 ramekins. Reserve.
In a bowl, whisk 1 egg with 1 tbsp [15 ml] sugar and add the milk. Add 1 tbsp sifted flour, mix well, making sure no lumps remain, and reserve.
Melt the butter and chocolate in a double-boiler or in the microwave at very low heat. Let cool slightly.
Whisk 1 egg with the rest of the sugar vigorously until creamy and pale in color. Add the rest of the flour, the cornstarch and the cocoa powder. Mix well. Slowly pour in the butter/chocolate mixture while whisking continuously. Mix well.
Whisk the first egg, sugar, milk and flour mixture to blend the flour in again (it may have fallen to the bottom of the bowl). Pour into the chocolate mixture and mix well until both batters are well incorporated.
Divide the chocolate cream between the ramekins. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until puffed and set. Do not overbake – it should still be slightly jiggly in the middle.
Serve warm or at room temperature with a spoonful of whipped cream or sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Recipe Credit: Adapted from Béatrice Peltre, La Tartine Gourmande
Butterless Apple Crumble
A lactose-free delight that’s just as crunchy, sweet and satisfying as the original.
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
¾ cup [100 g] unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup [100 g] rolled oats
¼ cup [50 g] brown sugar
¼ cup [50 g] unrefined blond cane sugar
½ tsp [5 ml] salt
¼ tsp [5 ml] ground allspice
1/3 cup [80 ml] organic vegetable oil (you can use any smooth-tasting oils like canola, sunflower, peanut or coconut)
3 1/3 lb [1.5 kg] apples, a mix of varieties, some that keep their shape when cooked, some that don’t (about 8 apples)
¼ cup [60 ml] maple syrup
Method
Make the crumble topping up to a day in advance: in a medium mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients from flour to oil, and stir well with a fork to combine, making sure all of the dry ingredients are moistened by the oil. If making in advance, transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge.
On the day of serving, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Peel the apples in alternating vertical stripes so that you retain some, but not all of the peel. Quarter and core the apples, then cut into smallish chunks. In a large bowl, mix the apples with the maple syrup.
Arrange the apple chunks over the bottom of a 10” [25-cm] square baking dish and sprinkle evenly with the topping.
Insert in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes, until the apples are tender and the topping golden brown, checking regularly to make sure it doesn’t darken too much (if it does, cover loosely with a piece of parchment paper).
Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. You can bake the crumble a few hours in advance, and reheat slightly before serving. The leftovers are fantastic straight out of the fridge the next day.
Tips
- Substituting half of the vegetable oil for a nut oil like walnut or hazelnut is absolutely delicious.
- Substituting half (or all) of the apples for pears is a very nice variation.
Recipe Credit: Adapted from Clotilde Dusoulier, Chocolate & Zucchini
