Blackberry Ginger Clafouti Food

BLACKBERRY CLAFOUTIS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch baking dish with butter.
• Add blackberries to the prepared baking dish.
• Stir milk and eggs together in a bowl. Whisk in flour, sugar, and salt and mix until batter is smooth. Pour batter over blackberries.
• Bake in the preheated oven on the middle rack until eggs start to set, about 25 minutes. Sprinkle brown sugar on top and bake until golden brown, about 20 more minutes.

PEAR CLAFOUTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Butter a 10 x 3 x 1 1/2-inch round baking dish and sprinkle the bottom and sides with 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar.
• Beat the eggs and the 1/3 cup of granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. On low speed, mix in the flour, cream, vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt, and pear brandy. Set aside for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, peel, quarter, core, and slice the pears. Arrange the slices in a single layer, slightly fanned out, in the baking dish. Pour the batter over the pears and bake until the top is golden brown and the custard is firm, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with confectioners' sugar, and creme fraiche.

BLUEBERRY-GINGER CLAFOUTIS

Steps:

• Place a rack at the upper level and a second in the middle of the oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease a 9-inch ceramic or glass baking dish or deep-dish pie plate (at least 1 1/2 quart capacity) well with butter.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, 1 cup sugar, flour, zest, cardamom and salt until smooth and combined, the sugar is dissolved, and there are no visible flecks of flour.
• Pour enough batter into the greased baking dish to cover the base by about 1/2 inch. Place the baking dish on the top rack of the oven and cook until the batter is just about set - it should jiggle slightly in the center - about 15 to 17 minutes.
• Remove the baking dish from the oven. Arrange the blueberries and the ginger on top in a single layer. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over the fruit. Pour the remaining batter over the fruit, return the dish to the oven, and bake on the middle rack until the batter is completely cooked, about 60 to 65 minutes. The edges should be slightly firm and golden brown, and the center slightly jiggly. A knife inserted in the middle should come out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
• Dust the top of the clafoutis with confectioners' sugar to taste and serve warm or at room temperature.

JULIA CHILD'S BERRY CLAFOUTIS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a medium-size flameproof baking dish at least 1 1/2 inches deep.
• Place the milk, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt and flour in a blender. Blend at top speed until smooth and frothy, about 1 minute.
• Pour a 1/4-inch layer of batter in the baking dish. Turn on a stove burner to low and set dish on top for a minute or two, until a film of batter has set in the bottom of the dish. Remove from heat.
• Spread berries over the batter and sprinkle on the remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar. Pour on the rest of the batter and smooth with the back of a spoon. Place in the center of the oven and bake about 50 minutes, until top is puffed and browned and a tester plunged into its center comes out clean.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving. (Clafoutis need not be served hot, but should still be warm. It will sink slightly as it cools.)

BERRY CLAFOUTI WITH CREME FRAICHE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together the eggs and sugar until frothy. Add vanilla specks, flour, and salt. Mix until incorporated. Fold in the milk and 1/2 the creme fraiche.
• Spray a 10-inch Teflon pan with vegetable spray. Pour 1/3 of the batter into the pan. Bake in the oven for 3 minutes, just until the batter sets. Remove pan from oven and spread the mixed berries on as the next layer. Pour remaining batter over the berries. Return the pan to the oven and continue baking for 12 to 16 minutes, or until the edges start to brown and the middle rises. Take out and let cool for 20 minutes.
• Mix the remaining 1/3 cup of creme fraiche with the confectioners' sugar. Cut the clafouti into 4 to 6 wedges, dust with the extra confectioners' sugar and serve with the remaining berries and sweetened creme fraiche.

BLACKBERRY, CUCUMBER, GINGER SPRITZER

Steps:

• For the sipping vinegar: Mash the blackberries and sugar together in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 2 days, stirring occasionally. Add the vinegar to the macerated blackberries and refrigerate for another day. Press the mixture through a fine mesh strainer, discarding the solids. Transfer your sipping vinegar to a container.
• For the herbal tea: Combine the ginger and 2 1/2 cups water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the tea bags and turn off the heat. Let the mixture steep for 5 minutes, then strain and cool.
• For the spritzer: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add 2 ounces blackberry sipping vinegar, 2 ounces cooled herbal tea, 1/2 ounce lemon juice and 1/2 ounce elderflower syrup. Shake vigorously and pour over a glass filled with ice. Top off with some seltzer and garnish with 3 cucumber slices, 1 ginger coin and a mint sprig. Repeat.

BLUEBERRY-GINGER BLENDER CLAFOUTI AND VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Lightly butter the sides and bottom of a 2-quart baking dish or 10-11 inch pie plate.
• Arrange the blueberries and the ginger on the bottom of the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar.
• Pour milk into the blender and add eggs, flour, vanilla and remaining 1 tbs. sugar. Blend on high speed until mixed (about 30 seconds).
• Pour batter over fruit in baking dish.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the clafouti is lightly browned on the edges.
• Serve while still warm.
• Variation 1: Cherry Ginger Blender Clafouti: Follow the Blueberry Ginger recipe, substituting 3 cups pitted fresh cherries for the blueberries.
• Variation 2: Peach Ginger Blender Clafouti: Follow the Blueberry Ginger recipe, substituting 3 cups fresh peach chunks for the blueberries (peeled or unpeeled peaches).
• Variation 3: Summer Fruit Combo Blender Clafouti: Follow the Blueberry Ginger recipe, substituting 3 cups of a combination of ripe, fresh summer fruits for the blueberries (try berries, peaches and cherries).