We are at the top of berry and soft fruit season. Warm and sunny summer gives us plenty of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries, blackcurrants etc. My in laws have so many raspberries this year that they feature in our diet pretty much daily now. I already made several jars of blackcurrant jam with chia seeds (give it a go by the way, it’s amazing!). But this recipe is about blueberries. Last weekend I had to figure out how to use the excess of blueberries that we had in the fridge. My wife, Becky said that she cannot face another pancake breakfast and wants bacon instead. So I decided to use the blueberries in a dish that would work as a dessert or sweet lunch snack. Something that is not too complicated and definitely summery. It had to be clafoutis! This French dessert is made with cherries in it’s classic version. So technically my recipe should be named flaugnarde since I used blueberries instead. But clafoutis is more recognisable so I stick with that (apologies purists). This dish is super easy to make and you can serve with as a wonderful dessert celebrating summer fruits. Feel free to replace blueberries with other soft fruit of your choice!

Makes 6 – 8 servings

Equipment required: ovenproof dish 20 x 20cm approx and 5cm deep (or similar)

Ingredients:

• 200g blueberries
• 1 tblsp amaretto (optional)
• 2 large eggs
• 80g plain flour
• 75g butter, melted and cooled, plus some extra for greasing
• 50g granulated sugar (or sugar substitute such as xylitol)
• 150ml cold full fat milk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Method:
1. Rinse and drain the blueberries, transfer into a small bowl and sprinkle with the amaretto (if using). Set aside.
2. Pre heat the oven to 200 centigrade
3. Sift the flour and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Make well in the centre and break in the eggs. Whisk the eggs gradually gathering the dry inredients until you have a very thick batter.
4. Gradually whisk in the butter.
5. Gradually whisk in the milk and vanilla extract, until you have a silky smooth batter.
6. Grease the ovenproof dish generously with the butter and then scatted the blueberries on the bottom. Mix in any remaining amaretto into the batter and pour it over the berries.
7. Carefully place in the middle of pre heated oven and bake for 10 minutes.
8. Lower the oven setting to 180 centigrade and bake for another 25 minutes. You can use this time to make a raspberry coulis or whip some cream that you serve as a accompaniment. Or simply get yourself and cuppa and watch the oven telly.
9. Remove cooked clafoutis from the oven and let it stand for a few minutes. You can dust it with a little icing sugar and serve it warm.

I really like to serve it few dots of raspberry coulis on the plate and freshly brewed cappuccino. You can replace the coffee with a glass of Asti if you want to add a bit of sparkle to the dish.