If you’re looking for something a bit different …
I love clafoutis and make it often when I’m home with my parents in Mallorca because of the abundance of fruit and almonds. You might think that toasting the almonds is an unnecessary step, but I feel strongly that you’ll taste the difference. Go with your favourite fruit – I recommend plums, cherries or raspberries. A dollop or two of mincemeat in the batter is great too! @kittycoles
Ingredients
40g ground almonds
Butter, for greasing
Demerara sugar, for dusting
6 large eggs
250g caster sugar
2 tsps vanilla paste, or 1 vanilla pod, split lengthways and seeds scraped
Finely grated zest of 1/2 orange
300ml whole milk
300ml double cream (the best you can get)
100g plain flour
250g fruit, such as raspberries, cherries (pitted) or plums (halved and stoned)
Tip: You will need a heavy ovenproof dish or cast-iron pan, about 25cm in diameter.
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan.
2. Toast the ground almonds in a small pan over a medium heat until lightly golden and fragrant. Tip onto a plate and leave to cool.
3. Grease your large, heavy ovenproof dish with butter, then dust the inside with demerara sugar, tapping out the excess. Scatter the fruit evenly over the base of the pan.
4. Place the eggs, caster sugar, vanilla and orange zest in a large bowl, whisking to combine. Pour in the milk and cream then whisk again until smooth. Add the toasted ground almonds and flour, whisking until completely smooth. If it’s being stubborn, give it a quick blitz with a stick blender or in a high-speed blender.
6. Pour the batter over the fruit and bake for 30-35 minutes until puffed and golden. It should feel set at the edges, but still a little wobbly in the centre.
7. Remove from the oven and leave to settle for 5 minutes, then take it straight to the table and serve with ice cream.
SEE MORE: Make Your Own Gravlax This Christmas