Nectarine Clafoutis

Servings:
8

When it comes to easy desserts, it's hard to beat the French country classic known as clafoutis. Baked until puffed and golden, the custard-like cake works well with almost any seasonal fruit. This version calls for a stone fruit that's often underused in baking: nectarines.

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 ripe nectarines

  • 1 cup whole milk

  • 1 cup heavy cream

  • 4 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks

  • 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped

  • ¼ cup granulated sugar

  • 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, with a 10-inch baking dish (1 1/2 to 2 inches deep) on center rack.

  2. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. With a sharp knife, cut a shallow X into bottom of each nectarine. Add to pot and blanch 30 to 40 seconds. When cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to remove skin and pit; cut into 1/4-inch slices.

  3. Puree milk, cream, eggs, yolks, vanilla seeds, granulated sugar, flour, and salt in a blender until smooth, about 2 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a liquid-measuring cup.

  4. Carefully remove preheated baking dish from oven and quickly brush with butter (caution: it will sizzle). Immediately pour in just enough batter to coat bottom of dish. Return to oven and bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes.

  5. Pour in remaining batter and arrange nectarines in a single layer, covering as much surface area as possible. Return to oven and bake until puffed and browned, 35 to 40 minutes more. Let cool slightly. Dust with confectioner's sugar; serve.

    nectarine clafoutis martha bakes
    Mike Krautter
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