Summer rubies.
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I’ve made this custard twice. The first time I made it with peaches, and the second time I made it with strawberries. I’m sure I’ll make it again with another fruit that’s on sale at the grocery.
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It’s a dead-easy recipe that takes about 15 minutes to throw together, and there’s a good chance you already have the ingredients in your fridge and pantry. (I love when that happens!)
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Despite the fact that it’s custard (such a fatty-sounding word, isn’t it?), this dessert feels light. I like it on the cool side (let it get to at least room temperature before you try it). The mouthfeel is creamy and juicy, thanks to the fruit β perfect for a summer night after the baby’s in bed.
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I want to make a version with mixed berries β raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. In my mind’s eye, I see the fruits’ juices leaking into the milky custard like urgent ink stains, delicious and messy.
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If you’re feeling fancy, call it a clafouti. If not, call it a custard. But you’ll want to make a few of them before summer’s out.
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Strawberry icebergs in unbaked custard.
Fruit Clafouti
Adapted from Everyday Food’s Peach Clafouti (July/August 2011)
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5 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound to 1 1/4 pounds fruit cut into 1/2-inch pieces
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk
together eggs and flour. Add sour cream, milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whisk to combine. Pour mix into a baking dish
that holds at least 2 1/2 quarts. (The original recipes calls for a 3-quart dish, but I don’t have one that big. You also could pour mix into several smaller dishes
.) Gently drop fruit into batter. Bake until custard is browned at the edges and set in the middle. In my 2 1/2 quart dish, this took about 50 minutes. In a 3-quart dish, check after 30 minutes. (It’s a big time range; be cautious!) Allow custard to cool; it will collapse while cooling.
Kitty naps in the background while the clafouti cools.