BS: Clafouti - cake or custard?

Subject: BS: Clafouti - cake or custard?
From: GUEST,Susan-Marie
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 08:28 AM

(I see my cookie has expired again)

It's cherry season and I've been trying new recipes. Found one for something called "cherry clafouti" (a french dish) that was essentially a custard with flour mixed in. It was OK, but a little bland, so I went looking for more recipes. I've been amazed at the differences among recipes for "clafouti". One was mostly butter, eggs, and kirsch, and resulted in a cherry cake. Another was more like my first attempt, a custard thickened with flour. So now I'm curious - is a "classic" or "standard" clafouti a cake or a custard?

ANd if you have a great recipe to share, I have more cherries....

Subject: RE: BS: Clafouti - cake or custard?
From: MMario
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 08:48 AM

Most of the recipes I have found are "spoon bread" consistancy - a very very very soft cake; as you said, almost a thickened custard.

Subject: RE: BS: Clafouti - cake or custard?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 10:34 AM

There is a place in Toronto called 'Clafouti,' very popular.

The dessert is best served hot, fresh from the oven.

This post sent me looking for batter recipes, and I found this one. Not the simplest, but good ideas on seasoning the batter and the fruit. It uses apples, but any fruit may be used.
www.napastyle.com/kitchen/recipes/recipe_print.jsp?recipe_id=263

Subject: RE: BS: Clafouti - cake or custard?
From: sian, west wales
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 10:41 AM

My god-kids' mum made me one for my birthday once and it was heaven. I made it for myself (not from the same recipe) and it was horrid. Stodgy. I think my birthday version was more cakey. And I think it was cherry and almond. Lurvely.

sian

Subject: RE: BS: Clafouti - cake or custard?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 10:41 AM

I put a link but it got cut off- Apple clafouti

Subject: RE: BS: Clafouti - cake or custard?
From: Susan-Marie
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 11:39 AM

Thanks for the link Q, that will be fun to try when cherries give way to apples. Almond is one of the spices that I've found in the various recipes sian, so thanks for the endorsement.

Subject: RE: BS: Clafouti - cake or custard?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 05:07 PM

Lots of rhubarb on hand. Will try a rhubarb clafouti tomorrow.

Subject: RE: BS: Clafouti - cake or custard?
From: leeneia
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 11:37 PM

Yesterday I cleaned so many things that when I looked upon the beautiful cherries I had bought, I couldn't stand the thought of opening the bin to throw away the pits. So I developed the following recipe:

Cherries al fresco

Wash a generous number of ripe cherries. Take them to the front porch, sit on the steps and eat them, tossing the stems and pits helter-skelter about the ecomsystem.

It was great!

Subject: RE: BS: Clafouti - cake or custard?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 12:07 AM

All our seeds and pits go into the rockery, etc., where they are appreciated by birds, squirrels and other animals as well as the soil.

Cherries are always eaten before we can get around to using them in recipes. They are imported from warmer provinces and the States, thus not cheap. Our area is too cold to raise any except 'Nanking cherries' which are too small and tart for anything beyond jams and jellies (The plant is from Siberia and north China, much used here as hedging or as shrubs).

Subject: RE: BS: Clafouti - cake or custard?
From: GUEST, Topsie
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 05:58 AM

I have a cherry tree in my back garden that I never knowingly planted, so presumably I must have spat the stone out from the back step. The blossom is beautiful in spring, and the fruit is small but very sweet.