Saturday

Apple Flognarde | Clafoutis


I love the ease of a French Clafoutis! 

Making a batter in a blender is my idea of quick and easy. So much like a Dutch Pancake, but a bit thicker with a bread pudding like consistency. Being gluten, and mostly grain free, I haven't attempted to make this dessert in some time. I was excited to find this recipe, using almond flour, on the Gourmand in the Kitchen web site, and am so pleased with how it turned out. I did make some changes.. whereas she uses pears, I used spicy marsala poached baby green apples, also.. I used regular milk and sugar. I guess not as healthy as it could've been, but it was sooo good! 

Interesting history on the Clafoutis dessert.. it is ONLY a clafoutis if baked with fresh Cherries. 
Also from different readings, traditional french chefs would NOT pit the cherry, saying there is more of a flavor infusion with the seed in. 

Seeing that I used seeded apples, my dessert is called a Flagnaurd.. but it is, as lovely just the same!  

Apple Flognarde (Clafoutis)

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons butter, for cast iron skillet
8-10 mini apples (*poached) 
1 cup milk
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon Fortified wine of choice.. I used spiced rum which I had on hand
1/4 cup brown or sugar 
1/2 cup almond flour 
¼ tsp of fine sea salt
¼ cup sliced almonds

Poached Apples Ingredients
8-10 "mini" apples
1 cup Marsala or Brandy
1/4 cup water
1/8 cup sugar
5-6 crushed allspice
5-6 cardamom pods crushed


Poached Apple Directions
1. Prepare apples by peeling them, but leaving the stem intact. Core the inside of the apple carefully from the bottom.

2. Add wine, water, sugar and spices to pot. Let liquid come to a boil, turn heat down to medium, cook till sugar is dissolved. Lower heat, carefully add apples, cook on low till apples are fork tender. *Keep an eye on the pot, as the liquid evaporates quickly if heat is too high. When apples are done, remove from liquid and set aside.

Flognarde Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
1. Put a Tbsp. of butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet, set aside. 
2. Prepare poached apples ahead.
3. Blend milk, eggs, vanilla, rum, sugar, almond flour, and salt in a blender until smooth, about 1 minute. The mixture will be thin, like crêpe batter.
4. Heat up butter in pre-heated oven in iron skillet till butter is melted and frothy. Around 7 minutes.
5. Put prepared apples in the buttered cast iron skillet. Pour batter over apples. Sprinkle sliced almonds over batter.
6. Bake in pre-heated oven until golden and set, about 35-40 minutes.
7. Let stand 10-15 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.
8. Enjoy with a scoop of ice cream on top!! 



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