This holiday recipe features tart fresh cranberries in a traditional French custard dessert. The clafoutis is topped with uncooked sugared cranberries and fresh sage leaves adding a tart and crunchy twist to this creamy treat.
Ah, the holidays. Suddenly life is full of shopping lists, travel arrangements, and a miniature tree in the garden apartment.
Of course, it wouldn't be the holidays if I didn't find some time for baking.
Earlier this year I enjoyed this lovely
cherry clafoutis. When the holidays kicked off a few weeks ago, I wondered if I could make a clafoutis befitting of December. With all things red and green in mind, I wondered how cranberries would taste in a clafoutis. Would they be too tart?
There was only one way to find out.
While I pondered the cranberry clafoutis recipe, a favorite cranberry preparation came to mind: sugared cranberries, a treat my mother-in-law sometimes makes. I discovered a
Gourmet Magazine sugared cranberry recipe which called for sugaring both cranberries and sage leaves. The idea of sage leaves was intriguing. For this recipe, I decided to infuse the sage and a vanilla bean in the simple syrup. The result was a wonderfully flavored syrup. . . which I plan to further utilize in a holiday cocktail.
But before I get too far ahead of myself, let's get back to the clafoutis.
This sugared cranberry clafoutis has two elements: custard with fresh berries baked inside and a topping of crunchy super-tart cranberries with a pleasantly sweet shells. The clafoutis is both sweet and tangy; creamy and crunchy. Simply put, I'm smitten with it.
Sugared Cranberry Clafoutis
Though the sugared cranberries are not difficult to make, the clafoutis can be prepared without them.
For the Sage Vanilla Syrup to make the sugared cranberries:
(Adapted from Gourmet Magazine, November 2007)
- 1/4 Cup Water
- 3/4 Cup Sugar, divided
- 8 Sage Leaves
- 1 Vanilla Bean
- 1/2 Cup Cranberries
For the Clafoutis:
- 1 1/2 Cups Whole Milk
- 1/2 Cup Flour
- 2/3 Cup Sugar, divided into two equal parts
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 tsp reserved Sage Vanilla Syrup (optional)
- Pinch of Salt
- 1-2 TB Butter, melted
- 2 large Eggs
- 2 Cups of fresh cranberries, halved
- Powdered sugar (to sprinkle on top)
- Sage leaves, torn (for garnish)
Directions
Make the Sugared Cranberries:
Combine the water, 1/2 Cup of the sugar, sage leaves, and vanilla bean in a heavy bottomed pot. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then simmer for 2-3 minutes uncovered. Remove from the heat.
Put the remaining 1/4 Cup sugar on a small plate.
Roll the cranberries in the sage vanilla syrup.
Immediately roll the glazed cranberries in the sugar. (Note: You may want to use tongs to easily remove the cranberries.)
Transfer the cranberries to a lightly oiled rack and dry at room temperature for approximately two hours.
Make the Clafoutis
Preheat the oven to 350F. In the meantime, combine the milk, flour, half of the sugar, vanilla, reserved sage vanilla syrup (optional), salt, and butter. Whisk until smooth. Add the egg, and whisk again until thoroughly incorporated.
Butter a small baking dish. Pour a thin layer of the batter into the dish. Bake for a few minutes until a firm layer begins to form on the top of the batter. Remove from the oven.
Spread the cranberries on top of the batter, then top with the second half of the sugar. Pour the remaining batter on top.
Bake for 35-40 minutes. The clafoutis is ready when it is puffy with a light brown crust on top. The inside will be a little wobbly. Allow the clafoutis to cool slightly, then sprinkle with powdered sugar.
If desired, top with the sugared cranberries and some freshly torn sage leaves.
Yum.
Enjoy a slice before you dash off to finish your holiday shopping.
