Dessert, the Sweet Spot

[Pingarina]

I thought I should create a thread for desserts, sweets, confection-making, etc. For selfish reasons, of course. I made a clafouti the other night. Not just a clafouti; a heaven-sent, got-religion, life-changing, breathtaking little pudding. A greengage clafouti. Oh my, oh my. I bought a pound of ripe Reine Claude plums from Red Jacket at the market. The smell was intoxicating. It was the only fruit being sold on the table, and it glowed, iridescent yellow-green. I've eaten them in France, and I've had lovely greengage jam, but this was the first I have seen of them in the US. David Karp wrote an article in the NY Times about them a couple of years ago, saying that the variety used to be popular here, but has all but disappeared. Thankfully, Red Jacket Orchards is bringing them back. Anyway, they are like no other plums - sweet and mild, with virtually none of the acid that one usually encounters. They barely kept their shape in the pudding, but attained a jammy, vanilla-y lovliness that I can barely describe. $2 per pound isn't cheap, but I see buying as many as possible before the season's up.

 

David Karp on Reine Claude Plums:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/01/dining/0...d=all&position=

[omnivorette]

What clafouti recipe did you use?

[bloviatrix]

Locust Grove had greengage plums last week. None this week though.

[Pingarina]

What clafouti recipe did you use?

A recipe for cherry clafouti (traditional) in "Paris in a Basket." Love that book.

[GG Mora]

What clafouti recipe did you use?

A recipe for cherry clafouti (traditional) in "Paris in a Basket." Love that book.

Hey, I have that book...and love it, too.

[omnivorette]

I think I'll make a peach clafouti for dessert this evening.

 

Thanks for the inspiration.

[Pingarina]

So easy, so, so comforting. No crust, just fruit, custard, a little baking, and voila!

[omnivorette]

I've used this recipe with success many times, using apples:

 

http://www.saveur.com/article.jsp?ID=15154&typeID=120

[Pingarina]

I think I'll make a peach clafouti for dessert this evening.

 

Thanks for the inspiration.

And thank you for the idea! I've got a bunch of late-summer peaches threatening to go off. Peach clafouti tonight.

[rancho_gordo]

I've never made a good one!

Our peaches are just ripening. Should I use this Saveur recipe?

 

Edited to add: the pears are starting to ripen as well. Apricots are on their last legs. None were stellar but it seems like they would be good for baking. Any ideas?

[omnivorette]

All I can tell you is that I've used that Saveur recipe (which by the way is Mark Bittman's recipe) many times and it's always been good.

 

I am not going to sautee the peaches, however. I think I'll toss the slices in cognac and sugar and leave it sit for an hour and I'll drain them and add them to the batter that way. I'll use the drained out liquid to drizzle when I serve it.

[Pingarina]

I've never made a good one!

Our peaches are just ripening. Should I use this Saveur recipe?

 

Edited to add: the pears are starting to ripen as well. Apricots are on their last legs. None were stellar but it seems like they would be good for baking. Any ideas?

What's been wrong with them?

[cristina]

My dos centavos worth: I've always used the Julia Child recipe in Mastering the Art of, and it's always been wonderful. I've made it with cherries, blackberries, pears, and peaches, but this plum idea sounds like a winner.

[bloviatrix]

I think you're inspiring me as well. I bought a lot of plums at the market today. And I have heavy cream in the fridge.

[Pingarina]

Just spreading the sweet love, girl.