This French Holiday Dessert Features Figs and Lemons

This Seriously Simple recipe reinterprets the classic clafoutis with fresh figs. Rinne Allen/TCA

A new book landed on my desk recently that celebrates baking in the American South. With recipes like Lemon Drizzle Loaves, Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Caramel Satsumas, and Chocolate Moonshine Cake, you can’t go wrong. The book features stories, history and recipes galore that show off Americas’ Southern style of baking.

This delicious French pudding called a clafoutis is a cross between a Dutch baby and a custard. Historically, clafoutis is a century-old dish from Limousin France and was made with fresh cherries. This Seriously Simple recipe reinterprets the classic dessert with fresh figs instead.

After Thanksgiving, it’s nice to serve a light dessert full of figgy lemon flavor. Look for Brown Turkey or Mission Figs, which should be available until the beginning of December. If you can’t find figs, try pear or apple slices instead.

Author Anne Byrd shares her special step of pouring a little custard into the dish and letting it bake. This sticky base keeps the figs in place once the rest of the lemon-scented custard is poured around them. This is a trick you can use on other clafoutis recipes.

I use half and half instead of the milk and cream to simplify the recipe. I prefer the clafoutis served straight out of the oven to maintain its puffy appearance. It’s also good at room temperature. If you want to gild the lily, spoon a dollop of vanilla whipped cream alongside each portion.

Fig and Lemon Clafoutis

Serves 6 to 8

• 1 teaspoon soft butter for greasing the pan
• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2/3 cup (135 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup (30 grams) all-purpose flour
• 8 to 9 figs (about 8 ounces), halved and stems removed

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees F, with a rack in the middle. Brush a 9- to 10-inch pie pan or gratin dish with the butter and set aside.

2. Place the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until well combined, 1 minute. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until lightened, 1 minute longer. While the mixer is running, add the flour and beat until just combined.

3. Pour about 1/2 cup of the batter into the prepared pan and place in the oven until set, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place the figs, cut side up, in the custard so they stick in place. Carefully pour the remaining batter around them.

4. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 375 degrees F and bake until the clafoutis is well browned and just firm to the touch in the center, 10 to 15 minutes more. Remove and serve warm or cool to room temperature, 1 hour, then serve.

Art courtesy “Baking in the American South: 200 Recipes and Their Untold Stories” by Anne Byrn. Used by permission of Harper Celebrate.

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