Cheery Cherry Clafoutis

Clafoutis or clafouti, as it is sometimes spelled in English speaking countries, is a beautiful French dish that has become very popular in North America. It is traditionally baked with fresh fruit and cherries are forever popular but any fruit will do. It is my understanding that purist do not pit the cherries for more flavor but I also suspect that it helps preserve the structure of the fruit better as well. You make the call if you want to go through the hassle of pitting the cherries or being discrete while spitting out the pits at the table.

If you read my previous post, you know that we received two beautiful baskets of these teeny cherries. They are so cute and tiny that they just put a smile on your face, hence cheery cherries. I still have enough left to make something else, if they survive the passing fingers, they are tasty and vanishing fast.

This is totally my kind of baking; a frying pan, a forgiving recipe, and hardly ever leftovers. It is like cooking instead of baking for me. I have made this a million times if once, with apples, plums, peaches, apricots, pears, berries. Really any fruit can be used fresh or frozen, canned or fresh picked this is the simplest way to serve up a “cake” in no time flat. It puffs way up in the oven and settles (sinks) as it cools, it looks very cool straight from the oven.

It is really nothing more than a custardy pancake batter poured over some lightly sauteed fruit and stuck in the oven to finish cooking. Today, this was our breakfast, there were no complaints. I made it dairy free by using soy milk and earth balance margarine, but feel free to use butter or even coconut oil.

Cheery Cherry Clafoutis

• big handful of cherries, pitted or not(substitute any fruit)
• 2 Tbsp butter, coconut oil, non-hydrogenated margarine
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp kirsch or brandy, optional
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed or 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• pinch of salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk, soy milk, etc
• raw sugar for sprinkling on top

Preheat oven to 400F

Pit the cherries and heat a large, 12 inch, cast iron pan over moderate heat. Melt the butter in the pan and add the cherries and sprinkle with a tablespoon or two of sugar. Saute for a few minutes moving them around in the pan.

To prepare the batter, combine the flour and sugar with a whisk, in a separate bowl combine the eggs and milk. When they are well mixed add to the flour mixture, do not over mix. Set aside until ready to use.

Add the vanilla and kirsch to the cherries and saute a minute longer, remove from heat. Slowly pour the batter over the top and move the fruit around so that it is evenly dispersed. You can sprinkle with sugar now or wait until the custard firms a bit to keep the sugar on top. I normally wait a five minutes or so.

Shove the pan in the oven for about 12-15 minutes, until it has puffed up and when you jiggle the pan it is mostly set. You do not want to over cook it, but you do want it set.

If you are luck enough to have leftovers they are lovely the next day in your lunch box!

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Tagged as: berries|cherries