Stand midsummer in the middle of any farmers’ market and just soak it in: berry heaven. Snacks for a road trip or camp care package? Done.
Baking nerds like me know this is our time to take it easy and give it all up to the fruit.
Here is a summer standby in our extended clan.
I never bother attempting it at any other time of year-it just doesn’t sing as sweetly as it does with fresh berries.
My brother loved this recipe so much that he includes it in his summer menus at this heavenly place.
Blackberry Cornmeal Clafoutis
Don’t be scared off by the title which is just fruit scattered on batter.
This thing is as rustic and earthy as you can get.
What you need:
Deep dish 10 inch pie plate or square pan or basically, any shape you can rustle up at the cottage.
1 cup stoneground cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch salt
1/2 cup ( one stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups fresh blackberries ( if frozen, use a little more sugar to taste)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon combined with 1 tablespoon sugar ( further to the amount used above for batter)
Garnish: Old favourite: vanilla bean ice cream, or a dollop of whipped cream. New favourite: Blackberry lime sherbet*
What you do:
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease the pie plate.
- Sift cornmeal through a fine sieve to get rid of any grit. Resift it again with the baking powder and salt.
- Beat butter and sugar in a mixer until light and fluffy.
- Stir in cornmeal flour mixture.
- Beat in eggs and vanilla until blended.
- Spread out the batter in the prepared dish.
- Toss blackberries with lemon juice and sprinkle them over the dough.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mix over berries.
- Bake in middle of oven approx. 1 hour, until the top is crusty and a toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean. Your berries will sink to the bottom during baking.
- Best served warm with the above suggested accompaniment but also delicious cut into smaller squares for a picnic lunch.
* Subscribers to my buzz sheet will receive this recipe that punches up this dessert just so. Have you joined yet?
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