Sunday, August 02, 2009

Plum Scrumptious

Plum Clafoutis. The name has to make you smile, assuming you can even pronounce it. My ability to spell the word correctly is often challenged. But, talk about a perfect summer dessert.

The clafoutis hails from the Limousin region of France and is traditionally made using whole black cherries. The cherries are placed in a buttered dish and baked in a golden batter of eggs, milk, four and sugar.

It’s one of those rustic and simple French country desserts that makes you wonder why we get all tied up in our Good Humor and Ben & Jerry’s. It takes only minutes to assemble, and puffs up like a peacock. Clafoutis is part crepe, part popover and a dash of Dutch Baby wrapped around luscious summer fruit.

Plums are an easy and sumptuous substitution for the black cherries as in this recipe. The fruit – combined with the batter – gets all rich, soft, jammy and complex, kind of like an extraordinary Bordeaux.

Plum Clafoutis. The word actually means to fill. I may not be able to pronounce it, so I’ll just call it scrumptious.

©2009 T.W. Barritt All Rights Reserved

13 comments:

Julia said...

Indeed it looks scrumptious! I think I need to run out and get me some cherries -- Whole Foods is having a special, only $2/pound.

Christo Gonzales said...

just the word'clafouti' gets me all jazzed up...this looks so perfect for now or heck, even later!

Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) said...

I do love cooked plums, and I've also made a pear clafoutis that's pretty darned delicious. I am the acid test for desserts; if they're easy enough for me to make, then anyone can make them!

Susan from Food Blogga said...

This looks so lovely, T.W. And what a delicious change from tradtional cherries.

Kalyn Denny said...

Love the photos in this post. I've never made clafouti of any type, but plums sound great for a dish like this.

Foodiewife said...

I have clafouti on the brain. I even have the cherries. I just need to get busy and enjoy what so many of you are raving about! I'm not wild about plums, with the exception of Italian plums. I'll have to wait until Fall to enjoy those. However... this version just might sway my ho-hum attitude about plums. It does look good.

Kathy said...

That sure looks good--I've never tried it with plums though I've used cherries and blueberries before. I like to eat it for breakfast.

veron said...

Never used plums only figs and cherries. It looks delicious! And the markets are flush with wonderful plums!

Giff said...

nice one TW. I've been unhappy with my CSA this summer, save for the small yellow and red plums. This is a nice use!

~~louise~~ said...

Is ambrosial a word? If it isn't, it is now. Your Plum Scrumptious defines it perfectly.

Thank you T.W.

P.S. Happy belated Friendship Day!!!

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

What a great looking clafoutis and yes, I can pronounce it correctly, which is more than I can say for some of the Food Network stars.

I love yours with the plums. Ann Burrell made one recently and included almonds with her fruit. Clafoutis are easy and fun and very French. Yours looks perfect.
Sam

Stacey Snacks said...

I am in love with clafoutis this year, especially cherry.
Now I have to try it with plums!
you are a bad influence on me TW!

Cakespy said...

I'm so over cherry clafoutis--plum's the word! This looks fantastic.