Forgotten plums

The weekend before July 4,  I went to our local farmers market and bought the most beautiful and tasty plums.   We ate one when we got home form the market and the rest went into the fridge.

Yesterday,  I was looking through the crisper for salad ingredients and I found them.   They needed used immediately.  What to do?  I wanted something easy and fast and delicious.   I decided to make a clafoutis.  Before last year,  I had never heard of this fast and easy dessert.   It is quickly becoming my go to dessert when something easy and fast is needed.  (And, it is wonderful with fresh produce.  So far I have used a variation of this basic recipe with cherries, peaches, blackberries, and now, plums.)

Forgotten Plum Clafoutis

1 1/2 lbs. plums
1 lemon, juiced
1/3 c.  brown sugar, loosely packed
4 large eggs
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. milk
1/2 c. flour
1/4 t. salt
3 T. melted butter (cooled)
2 T. Amaretto
1/2 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Quarter and pit plums.  Toss them with the lemon juice and brown sugar.  Set aside.

Place the remainder of the ingredients (eggs through vanilla)  in a blender and blend until smooth.

Butter (or use cooking spray) a shallow baking dish.  Arrange plums in dish.  Pour blended mixture over plums.

Carefully place in oven.  Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Aside:  As I carefully placed the clafouti in the oven, I remembered that the melted butter was still in the microwave!   Doh!  I carefully opened the new oven door and carefully drizzled the butter on top of the clafouti.  It worked well and I think it even helped brown the top a bit more.  Perhaps a disaster was averted!  (I was definitely NOT going to spill anything in the new oven!)

I absolutely love this dessert and it is sooooo versatile.

Using cherries?  Add kirsch (or stay with the amaretto.)

Using peaches?  Try brandy.

Using blackberries?  Add cassis.

Got raspberries?  Experiment with crème de framboise.  (What about Midori for a twist?)

Grapes and wine?  Apples and schnapps?  Any fruit and Tuaca?  

OK—I am now off to the produce stand to see what is in season (and apparently the liquor store as well).    Fairly sure I can find peaches.  I see a Peach and Brandy Clafouti in my future!

(For an interesting Blackberry Clafouti, see this post.)