Mini Masterchefs!
There is a TV program that has taken Australia by storm. It is Junior Masterchef. A pint sized version of the original adult novice-wanna-be cooks. The contestants are aged between 8 and 12. They are amazingly confident in the kitchen and happily eat anything, many things that would be pushed away on my kids plates.
There was a masterclass last weekend where the kids made Cherry and White Chocolate Clafoutis. We went to the supermarket and bought the ingredients (substituting the cherries with raspberries)
It was fun following the recipe with the kids and trying to let them take charge and do most of the steps with minimal input from me.
The best bit was watching them "Plate-Up" just like the kids on the tv show!
If you want to see the recipe I have copied it from the website below...
Ingredients
Lining the moulds
20g butter, melted
1/4 cup caster sugar
Filling
50g plain flour
Pinch salt
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
80ml milk
80ml thickened cream
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
35g unsalted butter, melted
50g white chocolate, coarsely grated
Marinated cherries
400g fresh cherries, pitted (about 300g pitted)
1 tablespoon caster sugar
Squeeze of fresh orange juice
Mascarpone cream
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon icing sugar
150ml thickened cream
80g mascarpone
Cherry and rosewater compote
150g pitted cherries
Finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange
3 teaspoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon rosewater
1 cinnamon quill
20g butter, melted
1/4 cup caster sugar
Filling
50g plain flour
Pinch salt
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
80ml milk
80ml thickened cream
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
35g unsalted butter, melted
50g white chocolate, coarsely grated
Marinated cherries
400g fresh cherries, pitted (about 300g pitted)
1 tablespoon caster sugar
Squeeze of fresh orange juice
Mascarpone cream
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon icing sugar
150ml thickened cream
80g mascarpone
Cherry and rosewater compote
150g pitted cherries
Finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange
3 teaspoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon rosewater
1 cinnamon quill
Method 
Makes 2
1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. For lining moulds, brush two 350ml capacity shallow oval ceramic dishes with the melted butter. Sprinkle evenly with sugar shaking to cover. Shake out excess sugar.
3. For marinated cherries, combine cherries, sugar and orange juice in a medium bowl. Set aside.
4. For filling, combine flour and salt in a medium bowl; make a well in the centre. Whisk in egg, egg yolk, rind and vanilla bean paste until smooth. Combine milk and cream in a small jug and gradually whisk into mixture 1/2 at a time. Add sugar, orange juice, melted butter and chocolate and stir to combine.
5. Spoon fruit into prepared dishes and pour over batter until 3/4 full. Place in preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until tops are golden.
6. Meanwhile for cherry and rosewater compote, combine ingredients in a saucepan, simmer over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes or until fruit is tender and soft and liquid is slightly reduced.
7. For mascarpone cream, beat ingredients in a mixer until soft peaks.
8. Serve clafoutis with cherry and rosewater compote and mascarpone cream to the side.
1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. For lining moulds, brush two 350ml capacity shallow oval ceramic dishes with the melted butter. Sprinkle evenly with sugar shaking to cover. Shake out excess sugar.
3. For marinated cherries, combine cherries, sugar and orange juice in a medium bowl. Set aside.
4. For filling, combine flour and salt in a medium bowl; make a well in the centre. Whisk in egg, egg yolk, rind and vanilla bean paste until smooth. Combine milk and cream in a small jug and gradually whisk into mixture 1/2 at a time. Add sugar, orange juice, melted butter and chocolate and stir to combine.
5. Spoon fruit into prepared dishes and pour over batter until 3/4 full. Place in preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until tops are golden.
6. Meanwhile for cherry and rosewater compote, combine ingredients in a saucepan, simmer over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes or until fruit is tender and soft and liquid is slightly reduced.
7. For mascarpone cream, beat ingredients in a mixer until soft peaks.
8. Serve clafoutis with cherry and rosewater compote and mascarpone cream to the side.
That sounds like such a fun show, and I love the entire concept of it! I think by witnessing how food is prepared, and being exposed to new foods in this way, children must be a bit more likely to try something that they might otherwise turn their noses up at.
And that recipe....oh yum! That sounds incredible! You're killing me today as I catch up with your recent posts, with all these references to such incredible food!