In the last couple of years we have changed houses several times.  Renting gives you the absolute freedom to explore different neighborhoods, scenery, lifestyles, landscape, people etc. When we packed our bags, a few years ago and left for a new country, I doubt if we ever imagined that a rather large part of our belongings would still remain in those bags, lest we move again within the finite boundaries of a dynamic country. I still have boxes that were taped years ago and remain unopened till this day. Old books, albums, glassware. showpieces and so on. Why unwrap them when you might have to pack again? On the other hand, the things we acquired in recent times continued to grow along with storage to accommodate them. Choosing a place to live, initially is more about the external aspects than internal ones. Easy access to stores, parks, hospitals and proximity to the buzz of the city centre. Over time these get replaced by a different set of priorities. For us it was the school for the boys. Fortunately we were able to move closer to the school which was a blessing considering the significant amount of time they will be spending there.

Lately, we have been craving the sense of security and settling down that comes with owning a house. Where you unpack for a good 20 years at least! You don’t fret ovet a teeny chocolate stain on the carpets because the house you are living in belongs to someone else. Where you can colour the walls in ombre shades and hang pictures of children and cakes side by side. Over the last few weeks, we have been looking at properties in various locations and it dawned upon me that my dream house would be a combination of bits and ideas from 3 display homes that I have been to and an old  house. Probably that is why it is a dream! The only challenge is the school. Do we limit ourselves by the distance to the school or do we focus on the suburb even though commute time may go up. Heaps to consider, assess and evaluate and I have been quite preoccupied with these thoughts.

Fortunately, there is not much to think about when deciding a quick dessert for the colder months. It is clafoutis for me, over crumble this autumn. Simple, quick,warm and full of variety. If you look up clafoutis recipes, the most common ones are the cherry, peach and berry clafoutis. Every time I tasted this beautiful dessert before this, I wondered what would stop someone from adding more texture to the batter. Without a doubt, classics are a hit for a reason and I would lick my spoon every time I had one. But I am equally adventurous and I had to put in a few other elements to find out myself, if is does any justice to the dessert. I was happy with the result. A warm chocolate flavored sweet treat, melt in your mouth, tart raspberries, nutty hazelnuts and sweet crunchy pomegranate seeds.

Now you tell me, would you dislike eating something like that? Do you like to be experiment in the kitchen? What would you consider before owning a house…convenience, space, stylish interiors or comfort?

Chocolate, Raspberry And Pomegranate Clafoutis

1 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup hazelnuts, skinned, toasted
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 cup unprocessed cocoa powder
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp powdered cinnamon
Icing sugar, to dust

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Grease a 9 inch oven proof dish (I used a tart pan) with melted butter. Place the raspberries, pomegranate seeds and hazelnuts on the base of the pan. Whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, flour, cocoa, and sugar in a large bowl. Do not over mix the batter. Pour the batter over the raspberries, pomegranates and hazelnuts. Bake for 40 mins or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.. Let clafoutis rest for 10 minutes at room temperature, then dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve warm with fresh cream or ice cream.