Caramelized Fig Clafoutis
Bring a taste of the French table to your own kitchen with this delicately silky and custardy pancake-like Clafoutis. Studded with fresh juicy figs, the clafoutis will rise and puff up beautifully as it bakes while the figs will turn jammy-soft. Served with more caramelized saucy figs and a generous scoop of Chantilly, creme fraiche, or ice cream, you’ll feel transported to France in no time.
Ingredients
CLAFOUTIS
190 grams | 1 cup sugar
15 grams | 3 tsp buckwheat or brown rice flour
105 grams | 1/2 cup almond flour, toasted
375 grams | scant 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
180 grams | 3 1/2 each whole eggs
90 grams | 4 1/2 each egg yolks
3 grams | 1/2 tsp salt
5 grams | 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
1 each orange, zested
2 pints figs, rinsed, dried, and cut in half (or other fruit)
powdered sugar, for dusting
CARAMELIZED FIGS
figs, rinsed, dried, and cut in half
sugar or honey
salt
smidge unsalted butter or red wine or port or lemon juice, as desired
herbs, spices,
Preparation
CLAFOUTIS
1. Preheat oven to 300F.
2. Prepare an 8 or 9” cake pan by spraying with non-stick spray and then place a round of parchment paper down and spray the parchment paper. Place figs cut side up on the bottom of prepared pan.
3. Combine and sift sugar, flour, and almond flour.
4. Whisk together cream, eggs, yolks, vanilla extract, and orange zest.
5. Add dry ingredients in two or three additions, mixing until just incorporated.
6. Pour into prepared cake pan over figs. Bake in preheated oven until puffed around the edges and just set and slightly wiggly but not jiggly in the center, about 40-45 minutes.
CARAMELIZED FIGS
1. Heat a large, heavy skillet over a medium-high flame. Pour a shallow layer of sugar or honey on the bottom of a pan.
2. Place figs, cut side down onto caramelizing sugar/bubblying honey. Add any herbs or additional flavoring, as desired. Leave undisturbed for 3 to 5 minutes to caramelize, then turn the figs over and cook for another minute.
3. Finish with a smidge of butter or deglaze the pan with desired flavoring.
4. Transfer figs to a separate platter. Pour this sauce over the figs and clafoutis and serve warm with generous spoonfuls of chantilly, creme fraiche, or ice cream.