Cherry Clafoutis

 You don't need to go through that much effort to make a homemade dessert. I know there are a couple truths about baking. There are those that do and those that don't. I also know the same goes for those that indulge in a dessert. I am usually a doer of both but find I would rather do the baking and not the indulging. 

Let's have another truth share though, most, and really everyone loves the smell of something baking. It is intoxicating really. The aromas filling your home is just so inviting and delicious. If I could walk into my home and always have that kind of smell, wow, I mean just wow. Amazing. 

 But let's get back to this clafoutis thing, which is also spelled without the s on the end. It is a very French and very classic dessert. I'll admit I am usually not into baked custardy things. It is on rare occasions that I will indulge in anything that reminds me of flan. (Note: I had a bad flan experience before and have a food aversion towards it now but that is no concern of yours.) 

But what I do enjoy is classical French cooking and baking. In the brief ten days I spent in France I most definitely indulged in french pastries and desserts because well they are just simply the best. I still to this day think the croissant is one of the best things ever created. 

Oh again, back to clafoutis, aside from the intoxicating smell it creates in your home this baked dessert comes together very quickly. Honestly, I think it is hard to screw it up. There is minimal measuring and very little room for error so long as you follow the directions correctly. 

Now purists would not remove they pits of the cherries because they supposedly release this wonderful flavor when baked but I just wasn't having pits in this so I removed them - I guess I am no purist. This dish originated in the Limousin region of France where black cherries were plentiful and traditional in this dish but most definitely other fruits can be used like plums, apples, cranberries, blackberries, etc. So if you are feeling a little French anytime, try this quickly done dish and you can't miss.  

Cherrry Clafoutis

Recipe adapted from Romney Steele

4 cups sweet cherries
1/2 cup turbinado sugar (or any coarse sugar)
zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons kirsch (cherry brandy)
6 eggs
6 Tbls unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
2/3 cup crème fraîche
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ tsp salt
sliced almonds, lightly toasted for garnish
Confectioners’ sugar for garnish

Heat oven to 400°F. Butter a 9-inch cast iron skillet or other baking dish.

Wash and stem your cherries and pit (or keep the pits if you are a purist). In a large bowl, toss the cherries with 2 tablespoons of the sugar, lemon zest and the kirsch, more or less as you like to taste. Set aside to let the flavors to meld together.

Scatter the cherries in the bottom of your skillet. Mix together the remaining sugar, salt, eggs, flour, milk, crème fraîche, and vanilla in a mixer with the whisk attachment. Make sure to combine thoroughly so there are no clumps of flour in the custard.

Pour the custard over the cherries and chill in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the clafoutis is puffy and golden brown and just set in the middle. Let cool for at least 15 minutes.

Garnish with toasted almonds and confectioners’ sugar, if you like.