Baked winter fruit “gratin” is full of seasonal flavor

When I was choosing the ingredients from our fruit bowl to put into this sweet take on a gratin, I couldn’t help feeling excited, because apart from being a big lover of fruit, I was also going to macerate them with rum and sugar.

I knew the flavor that would come out would be awesome, and I was right, because the flavor was trapped after I covered up the fruit with the cream and then baked it. The rum gave this dessert a slight boost in character, so if you are planning to ditch it, don’t, because I don’t think you would want that added special taste to disappear.

Straight from the oven, this is a great dessert to serve this winter, and everyone will love it.

Mixed winter fruit “gratin” recipe

When seasons change, the bounties change too, and I think that’s one part of enjoying every single season we go through. With this winter fruit gratin, we get to fully enjoy what grows in the colder months in a delicious baked dish.

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 35 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound mixed seasonal fruits (I used 1 clementine, 1 kiwi, 1/2 apple, 1/2 pear, 1 banana, 1/4 pomegranate, 1/3 cup grapes)
• 2 tablespoons rum
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 vanilla bean, sliced in half lengthwise, seeds removed
• 4 tablespoons granulated white sugar
• 3 eggs, yolks and whites separated
• 1-1/2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons shaved almonds
• Cinnamon powder (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Peel and slice or dice the fruits, then place them into a bowl. Add the rum and the brown sugar, and mix well. Let the fruits macerate for half an hour.
3. In a small pot over medium heat, bring the milk and the vanilla seeds to a boil. Turn off the heat, and let the mixture cool.
4. In a small bowl, mix the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of white sugar with an electric mixer until it becomes creamy. Gradually add about 3 tablespoons of the boiled milk and the flour while continuing to mix.
5. Over low heat, mix the mixture into the milk little by little while whisking with a manual whisk to prevent lumps from forming. Bring to a boil until the mixture becomes creamy. Turn off the heat, and let it cool.
6. In another bowl, whip the egg whites with the electric mixer until stiff. Gradually add the remaining white sugar.
7. Carefully fold in the egg whites with the cream.
8. Distribute the fruits in 4 (10-ounce) ramekins, and then top with the cream. Sprinkle the almonds on top.
9. Bake the fruit for 8 minutes or until the tops change color.
10. Sprinkle on the cinnamon powder, if using.
11. Serve warm.

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