Our local cherries won’t show up in the farmers’ markets or food shops for another month and in the meantime I’ll snack on the ones coming in from California.
Cherries are delicious, when ripe. I enjoy them most in their au naturel state but the other day I wanted to highlight them in a clafoutis. A clafoutis is a French dessert where the batter is custard-like and similar to a pancake batter. Cherries are traditional in a clafoutis but I’ve used other fruit such as pears, plums, apricots, blackberries.
Tomorrow is Canada’s birthday. Flags will be flying, barbeques in full swing as families gather and in the evening fireworks ignite the sky. This clafoutis is a cinch to make and the icing on Canada day celebrations. Have fun!
Serves 4
slightly adapted from Joy of Baking
1 lb. fresh cherries, pitted
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 425f. Prepare your baking vessel (9-inch skillet, pie pan, or whatever you choose that is oven-proof) by rubbing butter around the surface then a light dusting of sugar. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla, and butter. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Arrange cherries in skillet, pie pan or other baking vessel and pour the batter over. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until the clafoutis is puffed, set, and golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Serve as is or with a light dusting of icing sugar.
The Culinary Chase’s Note: An olive pitter works well to remove the cherry pits but if you don’t have one use a sharp paring knife and slice into the cherry and pluck out the pitt. Or, if you prefer, leave the pitts in – the traditional French way. This dessert is best the day you made it. Enjoy!
- 1 lb. fresh cherries, pitted
- ½ cup flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 425f. Prepare your baking vessel (9-inch skillet, pie pan, or whatever you choose that is oven-proof) by rubbing butter around the surface then a light dusting of sugar. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla, and butter. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Arrange cherries in skillet, pie pan or other baking vessel and pour the batter over. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until the clafoutis is puffed, set, and golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Serve as is or with a light dusting of icing sugar.
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