Pear Clafoutis with Almonds

Poire William, a pear eau de vie, is an excellent flavoring for this clafoutis.

• 2 medium pears (about 12 oz. total)
• 2 Tbs. pear eau de vie, such as Poire William
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract, or better yet the seeds from 1/2 split vanilla bean
• 1/4 cup heavy or whipping cream
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 3 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch cake or pie pan.

Peel the pears and cut them in half. Remove the core and any fibers and cut the halves into 1/4-inch slices. Put the slices in the prepared cake pan. Sprinkle them with the eau de vie and toss to coat; spread them in a fairly even layer.

No need to be neat. Just toss in the fruit and spread it into an even layer.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until lightly frothy and the sugar is dissolved. Sprinkle or sift in the flour and nutmeg and add the vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Gradually add the cream and milk, whisking just until smooth. Melt 2 Tbs. of the butter and stir it into the batter. Pour the batter over the fruit, sprinkle the almonds on top, and dot the surface with bits of the remaining 1 Tbs. butter.

The batter is thin, like crêpe batter, so it's easy to pour.

Bake until evenly puffed and brown and a skewer comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Serve warm.