Batter:
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch salt
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1 cup whole milk
Apples:
1/4 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Pinch salt
2 c. diced apples, about 3/4″ dice
1-2 tablespoons sugar (depending on how sweet your apples are)
1 teaspoon brandy
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Make the batter:
Sift the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt into a bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, egg yolk, and milk until well blended.
Add about 1/3 of the egg mixture to the flour mixture and whisk until smooth, then gradually incorporate the remaining egg mixture.
Whisk until well blended. Set aside.
Cook the apples:
With the tip of a knife, scrape the vanilla bean seeds from the pod into an ovenproof 10-inch cast iron or stainless steel skillet.
Add the pod and the butter and cook over moderately high heat until the butter turns nut brown.
Add a pinch of salt. Add the apples and cook, stirring often, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes.
Remove the vanilla bean pod and discard. Sprinkle the apples with the sugar.
Reduce the heat to moderately low, and cook until the apples are almost cooked through and the sugar has melted and is coating the apples in a light syrup, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the brandy, and stir briefly. Spread the fruit around evenly in the skillet.
Working quickly, pour batter through a sieve evenly and gently over the fruit.
Place skillet in oven and bake until the edges of the clafouti are puffed and browned and the center is set, about 15 minutes.
Just before serving, generously dust the surface of the clafouti with confectioners sugar.
NOTE: For special effects, serve the clafouti at the table right out of the cast iron skillet.
(adapted from Michael Chiarello)
