Berry Cobbler (Clafouti)

My Grandmother called it "cobbler" but years after her death I learned she was actually making a rustic French country dessert from the Limousin region. With cobbler, the crust is put over the berries - in clafouti (pronounced kla-foo-TEE), the berries are put on top of the crust. Clafouti is a pudding of sorts, with the sweet berries surrounded by a pancake-like batter and baked in a hot oven until the batter has set with nicely browned and slightly puffed edges. 

Use whatever berries you have that are fresh and seasonal - or raid the grocer's freezer for your favorite flavors. Today I'm working with blueberries, but raspberries, blackberries, cherries, mixed berries - even cranberries - make a delicious treat. 

 
Blueberry Clafouti (Cobbler) 
Nutritional Data per serving <Makes 8>: 
Calories 118 
Total Fat 4.3g 
Saturated Fat 1.8g 
Cholesterol 85mg 
Sodium 144mg 
Total Carbohydrates 12.9g 
Dietary Fiber 1.7g 
Sugars 4.1g 
Protein 6.6g 


3/4 cup rolled oats (old fashioned oatmeal) 
3 large eggs 
3/4 cup cottage cheese 
1 tablespoon vanilla extract 
1/4 cup artificial sweetener 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1 tablespoon butter 
1/4 cup milk 
1 teaspoon buttermilk blend (optional) 

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries 
6 packets artificial sweetener 
2 teaspoons lemon juice 
pinch of salt 
1 tablespoon cornstarch 
1/2 cup water, divided 
1/4 cup Splenda 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

In a blender or food processor, mix rolled oats, eggs, cottage cheese, vanilla extract, artificial sweetener, baking powder, butter, milk and optional buttermilk blend until liquefied. See Cook's Notes. 
Allow to rest while preparing the berries. 

Combine berries, lemon juice, salt and sweetener with 1/4 cup water in a saucepan over medium high heat, stirring often, until berries begin to burst. 
Mix cornstarch in 1/4 cup water and add to berry mixture. 
Allow to return to boil and thicken slightly 
Taste the berry mixture and add additional sweetener as needed. 

Pour batter mixture into an 8 X 8 baking dish and spoon/scatter berry mixture over the top. 
Bake in the center of the oven for about 35 minutes, until visible batter becomes golden brown and crisp with puffy edges. 

The clafouti can be served immediately or at room temperature with a dusting of powdered Splenda and maybe a small dollop of Greek yogurt, creme fraiche, or even softly whipped cream. Especially tasty with a scoop of SF protein ice cream. 


Cook's Notes: The buttermilk blend is a powdered buttermilk that offers a tiny bit of tang and a little "lift" to the batter. It is completely optional. 
Although clafouti is considered a dessert, It makes a deliciously indulgent breakfast or brunch.