Plum Clafoutis

Wine suggestion: LBV Port. Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• 450g plums, halved and stoned
• 25g plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 50-75g caster sugar (more if the plums are slightly tart)
• 3 eggs
• 450ml whole milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 drops almond essence
• 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
• Icing sugar

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180°C.
2. Butter a shallow ovenproof dish with the unsalted butter. Place the plum halves fairly tightly together over the bottom of the dish, cut side down.
3. Sift together the flour, salt and sugar, slowly mixing in the whole eggs by hand. Add the milk, but do not mix excessively as this type of batter can get tough when over-handled. Beat in the egg yolks, almond and vanilla essences and pour evenly over the plums.
4. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, until the batter has risen and is golden brown.
5. Remove from the oven and dust liberally with icing sugar. Serve.