Prune Armagnac Clafouti Food

PRUNES IN ARMAGNAC

Steps:

• Place 3 cups of water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the tea bags, and steep for 5 minutes. Discard the tea bags, add the prunes and honey, turn the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 3 minutes to plump the prunes.
• Pour the prunes and all the liquid into a medium bowl and stir in the Armagnac, vanilla, orange juice, vanilla bean, and cinnamon sticks. With a vegetable peeler, cut 4 large strips of zest from 1 lemon and add to the mixture. Cut the lemon in half, cut 4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices, and add to the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 6 to 12 hours. (If you're not serving the prunes that day, refrigerate them in their liquid.)
• To serve, place the prunes in shallow dessert bowls and serve cold, at room temperature, or slightly warmed, spooning the macerating liquid over them. Add a scoop of ice cream, a drizzle of Armagnac, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkling of grated lemon zest. (You'll be surprised how much flavor this adds!) Serve immediately.

PRUNES IN ARMAGNAC

Steps:

• In a small, non-reactive saucepan, combine the water and sugar. With a thin sharp knife, split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds and bean to the pan and bring to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
• Place the prunes in a clean dry jar and pour the syrup over them. Allow to cool completely, then stir in the Armagnac. Refrigerate for at least 1 week before serving.
• Refrigerated, the prunes will keep indefinitely.

PRUNE CLAFOUTIS

Steps:

• Use 1/2 tablespoon butter to grease a 9-inch round shallow ceramic baking dish, like a quiche pan, or a 10-inch ceramic pie plate.
• Place all but 1/2 tablespoon remaining butter in food processor or electric mixer. Process or beat briefly until creamed. Sift together almonds and all but 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar. Add to butter and continue to process or beat until thick and light in color. Add 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Add whole egg and process or beat well. Transfer to large bowl.
• In a medium-size bowl, vigorously whisk egg yolks and granulated sugar together until creamy. Whisk in remaining cornstarch. Scald milk in saucepan, then add in a thin stream to egg yolk mixture, beating constantly. Transfer mixture back to saucepan and heat, whisking constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat, brush surface with remaining butter and place saucepan in bowl of ice water to cool down the mixture.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. When mixture in saucepan has cooled to room temperature, fold it into almond mixture in bowl. Fold in prunes.
• Spread batter in baking dish and bake about 30 minutes, until top is lightly browned and knife inserted in center comes out clean.
• Transfer to rack and allow to cool about 30 minutes. Sift remaining confectioners' sugar over the surface and serve.