Blackcurrant & Raspberry Clafoutis

I have to admit that when our recipe developer Helen suggested we make a Clafoutis using our blackcurrant preserve I had no idea what she was talking about.  But I trust her cooking skills and it was absolutely fantastic!  So for those of you (like me!) who aren't sure what a clafoutis is: it's kind of like a baked pancake which we've added raspberries and blackcurrant preserve to.  A relatively easy pudding to make, and perfect for these cooler Autumnal days.  (the true origins are French and I've probably simplified if by calling it a pancake but you get the gist!)

Makes 12 

DIFFICULTY: medium

INGREDIENTS:

150g salted butter, melted & cooled

4 large, free-range eggs

150g plain flour

100ml double cream

150ml milk

100g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

150g fresh raspberries

125g Ben Tirran Blackcurrant Preserve

 

TO SERVE:

Vanilla ice cream

Icing sugar, optional

 

YOU WILL NEED:

Large ovenproof frying pan or baking dish, approx. 2lt

Flavourless oil or butter, for greasing 

 

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
2. In a large jug, whisk together the melted butter and eggs. Sieve in the flour and whisk together to create a thick paste. Pour in the cream and milk and whisk again to form a thin batter. Sprinkle in the sugar and add the vanilla before giving the batter a final whisk.
3. Grease the baking dish with a little oil or butter before tipping in the fresh raspberries, spreading them out evenly across the dish. Slowly pour the batter into the baking dish and spoon in generous dollops of blackcurrant preserve.
4. Carefully transfer the dish to the preheated oven and allow to bake for 20 - 25 minutes until the clafoutis has risen and turned golden - just like a large Yorkshire pudding.
5. Once golden brown, remove from the oven and allow to sit for 2 - 3 minutes - the clafoutis will sink once its removed from the hot oven but don’t panic.
6. Serve the hot dish straight to the table with a couple of scoops of ice cream melted slightly from the heat of the dish as well as a sprinkling of icing sugar.

 

COOK’S NOTES:

If your oven is easily accessible and has level shelves, it is sometimes easier to pour your batter into the baking dish once it's placed in the oven rather than carrying a dish full of batter across the kitchen. Simply pop in the raspberries and spoons of jam first, move the dish to the oven then carefully pour in the batter straight from the jug and close the door. Just be careful of the hot preheated oven.