and now, for dessert

itty bitty baby pear
Originally uploaded by suttonhoo.

This is the clafoutis that I meant to make when I bought the itty bitty pears. But that was before they seduced me into eating them all, one by one.

I have no idea if the recipe is any good, but Patricia Wells’ Fig Clafoutis is killer, so I suspect if you do up this one you’ll be all right.

Patricia Wells’ Clafoutis aux Poires
½ cup pear eau-de-vie or brandy
6 Anjou pears (or if they’re itty bitty pears pick up ~ 2 lbs. or 1 kg.)
6 large eggs
½ cup vanilla sugar (this is the sugar that you set apart in a jar with that vanilla bean that you rescued from the crème brûlée.) (What do you mean you mean you threw the bean away?! Okay, that's cool -- just use regular sugar and throw in a splash of vanilla.)
¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup crème fraîche or heavy cream
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar

Pick your bowl – make sure it’s big enough to hold all the pears before you’re done. Pour in the brandy and then peel and cut the pears – placing the slices in the bowl as you finish each one, stirring to coat. When they’re all in there give them one last gentle toss. Marinate 1 hour. (Turn them once in a while so that they don’t darken.)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees; butter and sugar a 10 ½ porcelain baking dish.

Combine the eggs and vanilla sugar in a bowl and froth them up good. Slowly beat in the flour, cream and salt. Add the marinade that the pears have been soaking in. Mix until well blended.

Arrange the pear slices in the bottom of the baking dish. Wells recommends a spiral: I say follow your muse. Pour batter over the pears.

Place the dish in the center of the oven and bake until the batter is firm and the top is golden, about 25 minutes. Remove, cool, and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Serve while still warm. (Room temp’s okay too.)

Adapted from Patricia Wells’ Bistro Cooking