Mini Apple Clafouti

Batter:
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch salt
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1 cup whole milk

Apples:
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Pinch salt
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons sugar
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
1/3 cup creme fraiche

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Make the batter:

1. Sift the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt into a bowl.
   
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, egg yolk, and milk until well blended.
   
3. Add about 1/3 of the egg mixture to the flour mixture and whisk until smooth, then gradually incorporate the remaining egg mixture. Whisk until well blended.
   

Cook the apples:

1. Melt butter in a skillet on medium high heat until butter turns nut brown.  
   
2. Add the apples and cook, stirring often, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes.
   
3. Place 4 custard dishes on a sheet pan and place in oven for 5 minutes while cooking apples.
   
4. Sprinkle the apples with the sugar, reduce the heat to moderately low, and cook until the apples are almost cooked through and the sugar has melted and is coating the apples in a light syrup. Toss with 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
   
5. Pull the custard dishes out of the oven and divide the apples evenly among them.
   
6. Working quickly, pour batter evenly over the fruit. Bake until the edges are puffed and browned and the center is set, about 10 minutes.
   
7. Put some confectioners' sugar in a sieve and generously dust the surface.  Serve warm directly from the pan with a dollop of creme fraiche.