Preparation
- Sprinkle the halved prunes with the Armagnac and leave to soak for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.
- Heat the milk, sugar, vanilla sugar and 40 g butter, stirring, until everything has dissolved; the milk must not boil. Then let it cool.
- Whisk the eggs and flour with a hand mixer until smooth and slowly stir in the lukewarm milk. Let the batter rest for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C (top and bottom heat) and grease a gratin dish well with butter. Drain the prunes and toss them in 1 tbsp flour so they don't sink to the bottom of the batter.
- Pour the batter into the dish and spread the prunes evenly in it.
- Bake on the middle shelf for 45 to 50 minutes, keeping the oven door closed. Serve warm or cooled, dusted with icing sugar.
Drink with it
Fortified wine · excellent match
Pineau des Charentes, Banyuls or tawny Port
Dried fruit, rancio notes and vanilla of the fortified wine pick up the prune and the Armagnac in the cake.
Port wine: understanding Ruby, Tawny, and VintageCognac and brandy · excellent match
Armagnac, neat
Prune and Armagnac are the classic pairing of Gascony; the brandy carries the same dried plum and vanilla note as the soaked prunes and sets some warmth against the egg custard.
Cognac and Armagnac: Two Origins for BrandySherry-cask whisky · good match
Sherry-cask whisky, neat
Dried fruit and spice notes from the sherry cask complement the prune, and the milkiness softens the alcohol.
What Does the Cask Do to Whisky?Fruit brandy · good match
Lambig or Calvados, neat, after the meal
The Breton apple brandy brings fresh apple fruit against the dense, sweet custard.
What is Calvados? Apple brandy with origin