21 August 2007

I am in Nesting Mode.....Apple Raisin Clawfoot


















Fall is my favourite time of the year. I love the crispness of the air...you can just smell it coming!!! I know that it is only the third week of August and it is still 35C and we are melting, but, with all the wonderful squash, corn and tomatoes in the market it sets off a time clock in my head..... nest... hunt... and gather it says.


When I lived in Eastern Canada the fall colours were incredible as they are in the east. I have memories of long Sunday drives and rustling through leaves on hiking trails, going to the farm stands for produce and picking pumpkins with my daughter in the pumpkin patch; climbing pioneer fences and picking apples and pears. We can do all the same things here in British Columbia, but, there is something missing in colour. We are missing the WOW Factor!!!! The forests here consist of pine, fir and poplar. To be fair, every so often there is a hint of red peeking up from the underbrush and with the sumac trees dotting the side of the road. In the city the streets are lined with maple trees so you still get to rustle through the leaves even here, so, the fall is not lost on me all together. Fall is the time for comforting soups, shepherd's pie and macaroni and cheese. In the hot days of summer the last thing I want to cook or eat is a heavy comforting meal. It is salads, BBQ and little cleanup for me!!!!

In the forecast this morning it called for rain so I felt like having a touch of comfort food for breakfast. I make this breakfast dish when I have some real time in the mornings...usually on weekends. It takes a while to cook in the oven. You can simply dust it with icing sugar or drizzle with maple syrup. No matter what you choose it is delicious. I think they call it "clawfoot" because when you cut into it the slices of apples and raisins appear somewhat like claws of a cougar. I enjoy it no matter what. This is my comfort food!!!!
**Apple Raisin Clawfoot**
  • 2 - 4 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup raisins or 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon or nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 2/3 cup flour
  • powdered sugar for garnish
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray an 8-cup shallow baking dish (12-inch pie plate) with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Saute apples in a large skillet over medium heat in hot butter until lightly browned. Add raisins, nutmeg or cinnamon, 1/4 cup sugar; set aside.
3. Place milk, eggs, vanilla, flour and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in blender. Blend on high for 2 minutes. Spread apple mixture in pie plate. Pour batter over apples. Bake 1 hour.

4. Remove from oven and dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm.

Serves 4

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.
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10 comments:

  1. Oh gosh those sound so good, I wish there was a picture to drool over. I really love any sort of dessert with Apples... like apple fritters.

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  2. I took pictures Janet but they were not particularly "droolworthy"...It was a rainy day so not really good lighting. I will keep trying!!!

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  3. What, no chipotle?!!!!
    Wow both of the recipes I just read sound droolworthy...in fact..I think you need to design a droolworthy award..:)
    Speaking of awards..please check my Http://frozen-music.blogspot.com blog today when you get the chance.

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  4. Actually, I read that recipe and say that's a variation on a traditional French clafouti or clafoutis.

    A rose by any other name! It sounds lovely. Traditionally clafoutis is made with cherries but I've been experimenting with some later season fruits too. (I kinda blinked and missed the cherries somehow.)

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  5. Oh I am so craving good, crisp apples right about now. But, as good as the food is here, we just don't get those amazing apples. So I'll read and dream.

    Cheers!

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  6. Sorry Marye no chipotle this time...although you copuld sneak some in if you reallllyyyy wanted.

    Ferdzy..I have tried clafouti years ago so couldn't make a comparison..I will take your word on that for sure. I had it with cherries and plums. Whatever anyone wants to call it is delicious for "brekkie" or for a dessert!!!

    Almost Vegetarian..it needs to be cold at night to have beautiful juicy, crisp apples. I'd like to live where you are!!!!!

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  7. Hi Valli, your description of Eastern Canada sounds wonderful. And this "clawfoot" sounds delicious and worth the wait. It's still cold here, so this would be good comfort food for me.

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  8. Valli I love the combination of apple and cinnamon for me is is perfect and this kind of cake is one of my favorite. You’re these entering in the autumn and me in the spring that as well as the autumn has fascinating colors

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  9. I love comfort foods as well Nora.

    The Spring has beautiful colours as well Sylvia with all my favourite Spring flowers like muscari, daffodils and pansies. New growth on the trees with their welcoming green hues brings hope for a new year!!!!

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  10. With apple, cinnamon, and cranberries, I would be drawn to this like a horse to corn! :-) And its funny you mentioned soups and Shepherd's pie being sort of the food harbingers of fall...I actually made both of these in the past week. Its super hot here in south Georgia still, but I love fall too, and am so looking forward to crisp mornings, and nice cool evenings to go out horse riding.

    ReplyDelete

Welcome to my home. Thank you for choosing to stay a while and for sharing our lives through food. I appreciate all your support, comments, suggestions, and daily encouragement.

Val

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