Summer’s Bounty Of Fruit Tasty In Clafouti Or Crisp

I can’t help myself. I have no self-control when it comes to buying summer fruits.

This is the season when the fragrance of ripe peaches, the perfume of juicy strawberries and the colorful appearance of blueberries, plums and nectarines drive me mad.

After I tire of eating fruit out of hand, I fall back on my two favorite summer fruit recipes: clafouti and crisp.

Clafouti is a traditional French dessert that has the texture of a pudding or cobbler. As the batter bakes, it forms a perfect background for the sweet juices that seep from the fruit. If you’re looking for a homemade, soul-comforting dessert that fills the house with the aromas of cinnamon and nutmeg, this is it.

A fruit crisp is a crunchier “crackthrough-the-crusty-shell” eating experience. Either way, it’s your opportunity to create that Norman Rockwell-meets-Julia Child experience - by baking one of each and placing them on your windowsill. These are both simple recipes that even children will enjoy making.

Serve with vanilla yogurt or whipped cream, if desired.

Peach Clafouti

1 teaspoon melted butter or nonstick cooking spray

1/2 cup whole-wheat or unbleached white flour

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup 2 percent milk

3 cups sliced fresh peaches, nectarines and/or whole or sliced berries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat the bottom and sides of a 1-1/2-quart ceramic or glass baking dish with melted butter or no-stick cooking spray.

Stir together the flour, sugar, oats, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl. Gradually stir the beaten eggs and milk into the flour; stir until smooth.

Place the fruit in the dish and pour the batter over the fruit. Bake about 25 minutes or until the surface is puffy and golden brown.

Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 257 calories, 8 grams protein, 4 grams fat (14 percent fat calories), 49 grams carbohydrate, 110 milligrams cholesterol, 209 milligrams sodium.

Summer Fruit Crisp

Filling:

5 cups sliced peaches, plums, nectarines and/or berries

1/2 cup light brown sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon minced ginger root

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Juice of 1 lemon

Crisp topping:

1/2 cup whole-wheat or unbleached white flour

1/2 cup low-fat granola or Grape-Nuts cereal

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

6 tablespoons chilled, unsalted butter or soy margarine, cut into tablespoons

For filling, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make the fruit filling by combining all ingredients and mixing gently; set aside.

For topping, combine all ingredients except the butter in a medium bowl. Cut in the pieces of butter until the mixture looks like a coarse paste. Place the fruits in an 8-by-10-inch baking dish, spread the topping evenly over the surface, bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the fruit is tender and the top is crunchy and golden.

Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 605 calories, 5 grams protein, 17 grams fat (25 percent fat calories), 114 grams carbohydrate, 46 milligrams cholesterol, 120 milligrams sodium.