Clafoutis aux Cerises

Clafoutis is a rustic French dessert in which cherries are covered in a light batter and baked into a flan. The name derives from the Occitan (southern French dialect) word clafir, “to fill”, and is usually served in a shallow ramekin like a crème brûlée. This version is slightly more firm than the traditional clafoutis so that it can be easily removed from the baking dish and portioned individually. Each bite is packed with juicy cherries surrounded in cake-like custard that is not overly sweet, but rather creamy and mild.

Difficulty:

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 40-45 minutes

Serves 4 people

Ingredients:

½ Tbsp. Butter

1 ½ cups (200g) Black/Red/Yellow Cherries, pitted and quartered

¼ cup (50g) Sugar

1 Tbsp. Kirsch (Cherry Brandy)

2 Eggs

½ cup (65g) Flour

5 oz. (150mL) Milk

1 pinch Salt

½ tsp. Confectioner’s Sugar

Technique:

•Preheat oven to 350˚F and butter a 5”x 7” baking dish.

•Prep cherries and toss with 1T Sugar and 1T Kirsch.

•Using an electric mixer, combine 3T sugar and eggs. Whisk on medium speed until pale in color (3-4 min).

•Add flour, whisk together, then add milk and salt, whisking until fully combined.

•Strain cherries, saving liquid for finishing, and distribute evenly in the buttered baking dish. Cover with batter.

•Bake 40-45 minutes, turning half way through, until cooked in the center and evenly colored.

•Cool thoroughly. Use a knife to separate the cold clafoutis from the sides of the baking dish, then flip over onto the cutting board to remove.

•Flip again and sprinkle the top with confectioners’ sugar through a small strainer. Use a sharp knife to portion and drizzle with the kirsch cherry juice.

Saturday, Mar 03, 2012