Chabraninof... A wonderful dessert with calvados and apples

Chabraninof, a mythical dessert with apples & calvados...

Ingredients ready for a Chabraninof session...

The famous "CHABRANINOF"

As a Normand hunter and fly fisherman, I am often asked by visitors, "What can I do with Calvados ? " (Beside simply drinking it after coffee (or before). Most of the time, I answer: "Chabraninof" ! Of course it sounds weird and a bit Russian for something so Normand but it is the name. And actually the invention was not Normand but Lyonnaise. The word comes from the assembly of a few letter from 4 names of famous chefs of the 40's in Lyon. The most famous being "BRA", for Gaston BRAzier who was the son of the famous "Mère Brazier". The others were other chefs of prestige and of course friends of Gaston: CHAtelus, NIvert and IvaNOF. If it is of any interest for you, the classic menu preceeding the Chabraninof was composed of "Fonds d'Artichauts au Foie Gras, (artichokes with foie gras), Poularde demi-deuil (chicken with truffles under the skin), fromages of Saint Marcellin et Chabraninof. Very simple and light as you can see. Finally, I am making this page in honor of my (Russian) friend Roman who after Maupassant and Flaubert is the 3rd true Normand I have met in my life, and one of the best users of the French agricultural production (including calvados bien sûr !).

Making Chabraninof...

3 apples (Golden from my garden), will serve 4 guests.

Put a bit of butter in a big pan

Prepare a bit of lemon. You will use the juice of the small slice..

Prepare a glass of calvados. Note that by political politeness I have shown less butter and calvados than I will really use, but on the other hand there is no sugar in the recipe.

Make nice quarter of apples.

And make them turn gold in the butter.

Prepare a bit of vanilla ice cream in individual cups.

Flambé(z) les apples with le calvados !

Serve hot quarters of apple & calvados juice in each cup and eat right away. Enjoy !