Strawberries are in season, but only for a short while. This clafoutis is perfect to finish off a spring dinner or at teatime.
They are the first signs of summer, perfect on their own (or perhaps with a little whipped cream), but strawberries take on a very different flavour and more assertive character when cooked, hence this exquisitely homely strawberry, vanilla and rose water clafoutis.
Traditionally made with cherries, clafoutis is a recipe from the Limousin region in France. The creaminess brings out the texture of the fruit and the subtle, sweet flavour that offsets the richness and acidity of strawberries. To awaken the senses, I add a dash of rose water and some fresh vanilla.
Strawberry + rose water clafoutis
Serves 4-6
Preparation + cooking time: 1 hour
300ml whole milk (or oat milk)
1 vanilla pod
2 tablespoons rose water
4 eggs
50 g granulated brown sugar
+ 10 g for greasing
100 g all-purpose flour (or oat flour)
50 g butter, melted
500 g fresh strawberries, stems removed
Preheat the oven to 200°C. While it’s heating, open the vanilla pod and remove the seeds. Add to the milk in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat and add the rose water. Set aside to infuse and cool.
While the milk is cooling, prepare the clafoutis mixture in a bowl. First mix the eggs and sugar together vigorously with a whisk, then gradually incorporate the flour followed by 35 g of the melted butter. Gently stir in the milk at room temperature or lukewarm. Mix well to obtain a smooth, fluid dough.
Wash and hull the strawberries. Ideally keep them whole to stop water from getting out, but you can also cut them in half if you find them too big. Place them in a round tin (greased with the remaining butter). Pour the clafoutis mixture over the strawberries and sprinkle some sugar over the top. Bake for 20-30 minutes. Remove from the oven when the top begins to become golden brown.
Enjoy!
Tip: For teatime, serve with a glass of cold almond milk with some rose water, a pinch of cardamom, and the sweetener of your choice. (Agave syrup is great in this case.)
