I love a grape, but they aren’t the easiest to bake with. They’re too sweet, you see; the sweetness of a batter will too often clash with that of the grapes, and I’m left feeling as if I’ve eaten an entire bag of Jelly Tots. The good news, however, is that, after a lot of trial and error, I’ve come up with something really special in this light yet indulgent grape clafoutis.
Black grape clafoutis
This can be put together really quickly. It’s best served straight from the oven with ice-cream or cream.
Prep 15 min
Cook 25 min
Serves 6-8
40g unsalted butter
150ml double cream, plus extra to serve
3 large eggs
110g golden caster sugar
1 tsp vodka (optional)
A large pinch of salt
50g plain flour
1 tbsp ground almonds
200g black seedless grapes
3-4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6, and grease and lightly flour a round, 25cm ovenproof baking dish or tart pan.
In a saucepan, melt the butter and cream on a low heat, then set aside to cool. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, vodka (if using) and a pinch of salt, until thick, pale and fluffy. Gradually add the flour and almonds to the egg mixture, stirring continuously to get rid of any lumps, until you have a smooth batter. Pour the cooled melted butter and cream mixture into the batter and mix until fully incorporated.
Spread the grapes evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish, then pour the batter over the top, making sure the grapes are well covered. Scatter over the thyme, then bake for 25-28 minutes, until the clafoutis is puffed and golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Take the clafoutis out of the oven, leave to rest and cool for a few minutes, then serve with lashings of double cream.
