Julia Child's Plum Clafouti Recipe

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Drop the plums into boiling water for exactly 10 seconds to loosen their skins, then peel them. You can leave them whole or slice them in half.

Let the peeled plums stand with the orange liqueur (or kirsch or cognac) and 1/3 cup sugar for 1 hour. Reserve the liquid from the plums and add enough milk to it to measure 1 1/4 cups total.

Pour about a 1/4-inch layer of the batter into your baking dish or pie plate. Set it over moderate heat for a minute or two, just until a thin film of batter sets on the bottom of the dish, then remove it from the heat.

Place the dish in the middle position of your preheated oven and bake for about 1 hour. The clafouti is done when it has puffed and browned, and a knife plunged into its center comes out clean.