Far Breton aux Pruneaux, a traditional flan dessert

Here's a simple dessert from Brittany that fills the kitchen with promising odours when it comes out of the oven. This flan-type dessert, similar to a clafoutis, but denser, is ususally made with prunes. Other fruits, such as grapes, are sometimes used. Traditionally the fruit is not soaked in alcohol, but brandy or armagnac can be used to make a more grown-up version.

For 6 people:

125g flour, 100g sugar, 750ml whole milk, 3 pinches of salt, 4 eggs, 250g stoned prunes, 2 packets of vanilla sugar, a knob of butter.

Soak the prunes in hot water with 1 packet of vanilla sugar (I sometimes soak them in black tea instead). Pour the flour and salt into a mixing bowl, add the eggs and mix well. Pre-heat the oven to 200C. Add the sugar and the remaining sachet of vanilla sugar; add the milk. Mix and add the drained prunes. Butter a 25cm long oven dish, pour in the mixture and bake for 40 minutes. The flan should be quite dark on top. Allow to cool in the dish before serving.