Honoring the Incredible Women Who Continue to Inspire – Julia Child
By: Allyson Holt
For most of my adult life, I have idolized Julia Child. Julia’s entrepreneurial spirit created not only a vocation that she loved, but spawned an entire industry devoted to all things culinary. Her infectious spirit helped guide home chefs of all levels to dream and explore new cuisines. Cooking was not to be viewed as a chore, but a pleasure! And her unshakeable ability to laugh at herself on camera – created a whole new level of culinary professional – the celebrity chef.
I had the pleasure of meeting Julia, and her husband Paul, when I was working as a hostess and finishing my degree at UCSB. The restaurant focused on California cuisine mixed with European flavors, techniques, and was in a beautiful old adobe building next door to the Montecito Inn. Brunch was one of our specialties and our pure cream waffles were one of our most popular dishes. Julia, however, usually opted for our seasonal take on a clafoutis that we offered a couple of times a year. Such a simple dish that combines the best of brunch with the delight of dessert!
Julia’s Cherry Clafoutis is a classic recipe that I have made many times. I also love to use the basic recipe as my base and swap out the cherries called for in Julia’s recipe, with whatever fruit I have on hand. Sometimes I swap cherries for other berries, or a combination of other berries, sliced fresh peaches, sliced nectarines, or in this case – a mix of blackberries and blueberries, with a beautiful ribbon of Bonnie’s Jams signature Black and Blue drizzled on top!
In honor of Women’s Month and to honor a true icon of our time, Julia Child, here's my take on Julia Child’s clafoutis recipe with Bonnie’s Jams Black and Blue - sure to please all of the “Julia Child fans” at your Easter Brunch!
Bonnie's Jams Black & Blue Clafoutis
Serves 4 for brunch, 6 to 8 for dessert
Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 ¼ cup milk
1/3 plus 1/4 cup sugar, divided
3 whole eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
½ cup all purpose flour
1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and patted dry
1 cup fresh blackberries, rinsed and patted dry
½ cup Bonnie’s Jams Black & Blue
1 Tbs. Chambord (optional)
Powdered sugar for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a blender, combine milk, 1/3 cup sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt and flour. Blend until well combined.
Lightly butter an 8 cup baking dish. Pour about 2/3 cup of the batter to create a ¼” layer on the bottom of the pan. Set remaining batter aside.
Place pan in oven and bake for about 7 minutes or until a film forms over the top of the batter in the pan, but it is still jiggly underneath (do not overbake).
Remove pan from oven. Scatter whole blackberries and blueberries evenly over the top of the batter. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup sugar over the berries. Pour the remaining batter gently on top of sugar, berries, and batter base.
Return baking pan to oven and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the clafoutis is puffed and golden brown (test for doneness by inserting a toothpick or knife into the center and checking to see if it comes out clean).
While clafoutis is in the oven, in a microwave safe bowl, combine Bonnie’s Jams Black and Blue and Chambord (if using). Stir to combine. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and microwave for another 30 seconds, depending on microwave, or until mixture is thin enough to drizzle.
While clafoutis is still warm, use a spoon or pastry bag to lightly drizzle Black and Blue over top of clafoutis in zig zag pattern. Lightly dust clafoutis with powdered sugar and serve.
