This classic French dessert is traditionally made with cherries, but when I came across a recipe for a raspberry version I knew I had to make it.  Clafoutis is a baked, custard-like cake that’s rustic, easy to make and very delicious.  It many ways it reminds me of a thick, moist, fruit-filled crepe.  Typically, clafoutis are jam-packed with fruit, but I choose to go a little lighter on the raspberries in this version – feel free to add as many raspberries as you like!

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• pinch of salt
• 3 extra-large eggs
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 cups raspberries
• confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Butter a 9-inch gratin dish (I used a pie dish).

In a bowl, whisk the flour, sugar and salt.  Beat in the eggs, butter and lemon zest until smooth.  Add the milk and whisk until light and very smooth, about 3 minutes.  Pour the batter into the gratin dish and top with the raspberries.

Bake for about 30 minutes, until the clafoutis is set and golden.  Let cool slightly, then dust with confectioners’ sugar, cut into wedges and serve.

adapted from a recipe found here

Looking back at my posts over the last month, I realized that its been awhile since I’ve made something to satisfy my sweet-tooth.  I think I was still recovering from all of the sugar I consumed during the holiday season!  Have no fear, these Raspberry Crumble Bars are a great way to ease back into the sweets.  They are the perfect contrast of crisp and gooey, and I could easily imagine how delicious apricot or strawberry versions would be.

Makes 25 Bars

Ingredients

• 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces plus more for pan
• 2  1/4 cups blanched almonds, very finely ground
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1  1/4 cups sugar
• 1  3/4 cups raspberry jam

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Butter a 15-by-10 inch rimmed baking sheet.  Line with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on the long sides. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together ground almonds, flour, sugar, and salt.  Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Using your fingers squeeze the mixture together to create pea-size crumbs with a few larger clumps.

Transfer half of the crumb mixture to the prepared baking sheet; set aside the remaining mixture and cover it with a sheet of parchment paper.  Using the back of a large spoon, press the dough evenly into the pan, lifting the parchment occasionally to ensure it doesn’t stick.  With a rolling pin, roll along the length of the pan to smooth the dough.  The dough should be firmly packed, with no holes or cracks.  Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until lightly golden all over, 15 to 20 minutes.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Evenly spread jam over the cooled crust.  Scatter with the remaining crumb mixture, squeezing some of the mixture so that large clumps are visible and evenly distributed over the top of the jam.  Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the topping begins to turn light golden brown (the jam should not be too dark), 20 to 22 minutes.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen; using two wide spatulas, transfer to a cutting board and cut into 3-by-2-inch bars.  Bars can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

original recipe found here

I did a little research and kolacky were originally from Central Europe and exclusively a sweet pastry.  I wanted to stick with that tradition even though I see savory versions of this at some bakeries (primarily cheese filled).  Since raspberry is one of my favorite flavors I decided to use this as the filling, but think it would also be delicious with apricot preserves.  While I have seen these cookies in a variety of different shapes, the shape in my recipe below is the most common.  Actually, you can make it any shape you’d like, but don’t overlook the most important feature – the size.  This should only be a tw0-bite treat!

Makes 18 cookies

Ingredients

• 6 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-12 oz. jar raspberry preserves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Using a pastry blender or food processor, cut the butter into the cream cheese. In a small bowl, sift the flour, granulated sugar, salt and baking powder.  Work the dry ingredients into the butter/cream cheese mixture until you have an even, mealy texture.  Knead to form a stiff dough.  If the dough gets too soft, refrigerate for about five minutes before finishing.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least two hours.

Roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness.

Using a cookie cutter, cut the dough into 3 inch diameter cookies (I used a square cutter).  Keep re-rolling the dough and cutting until you have used it all.

Position each piece of dough so that it’s facing you in a diamond shape.  Using your thumb, make a depression in the middle of each cookie.  Place 1/2 teaspoon of filling into the depression and fold opposite ends over each other and pinch to seal.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden.  Let cool completely on a rack.  Before serving, dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar.  Store in an airtight container.

adapted from a recipe found here