Photo by Christel Lewis/iStock
SERVES 8
3 medium-sized peaches, ripe but still firm
½ cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2–3 teaspoons lemon zest
1 tablespoon coarse, finishing sugar
Confectioners’ sugar for garnish
Preheat oven to 425 F and lightly coat a 9-inch, deep-dish pie plate with cooking spray. Pit peaches, and cut each into 8 slices. Arrange peach slices in a single layer in the prepared dish.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another medium bowl, combine milk, eggs, vanilla and lemon zest, and whisk until very smooth. Add to the dry mixture, and stir until smooth. (This can also be done in the food processor.) Pour mixture on top of peaches, and sprinkle with finishing sugar.
Bake for 15 minutes at 425 F. Turn oven down to 350 F, and bake an additional 20–25 minutes, until clafouti is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool slightly; dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.
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Recipe tips
What is finishing sugar?
Sugars such as Demerara and turbinado are sometimes called finishing sugars. They are light brown, coarse, partially refined sugars. Unlike regular brown sugar, which has added molasses flavor, Demerara has a natural caramel-like flavor that has not been refined out. This lends warm, caramel notes when added to foods and gives complexity and depth to recipes, baked goods and even tea. The crunchy, large crystals are a nice addition to the tops of muffins, cakes, pies and cookies.
Why is the size of an egg important?
Some recipes call for a specific egg size—medium, large or extra large. Size may not matter if you are scrambling, poaching or boiling eggs, but it is very important in baking. Plus, the more eggs required, the more it matters. Baking and pastry professionals even weigh their eggs for better accuracy. Large eggs, common in many recipes, weigh 2 ounces. Extra large are 2¼ ounces, medium are 1¾ ounces and small are 1½ ounces. Home cooks should keep these weights in mind, especially in recipes that call for multiple eggs, as baking with another size can affect the texture, taste and consistency of the finished dish.
The advantages of homemade baking powder
Baking powder is a leavening agent used in baking cakes, quick breads, muffins and cookies. Most commercial baking powders contain aluminum that can produce a bitter, “tinny” flavor—especially if overused. An inexpensive way to improve the taste of your baked goods is to make your own baking powder. The simple recipe requires only two ingredients: Mix one teaspoon baking soda with two teaspoons cream of tartar. This can be scaled up proportionately, so you can keep some on hand in a small, air-tight jar to use as needed. Replace the baking powder every six months, as it loses its potency when kept too long.