Submitted by Sandra Lederman
Slightly sweet and dense, cherry clafouti satisfied my sweet tooth this weekend. Clafouti is a french dessert with a custard-like base and fruit, most commonly cherries. The cake batter itself reminds me of crepes or pancakes, somewhat neutral in flavor.
I hadn’t made it in a long time and decided to whip it up using a package of frozen cherries. Although the end result was ok , clafouti is so much better when using fresh cherries. Lesson learned. Granted, the fact that I used frozen cherries didn’t stop me from devouring it quickly.
Feel free to experiment with the ingredients. Clafouti can be made with many types of fruit, so you re not limited to cherries. I’m sure this would be just as good with peaches or blueberries, maybe even plump red raspberries.
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 tablespoon brandy
- 1 cup flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 pound pitted cherries
Mix the cherries with 1/4 cup of the sugar and set aside. Select a skillet that is at least 1 1/2″ deep and grease it.
Mix together the eggs, remaining sugar, vanilla, almond extract, brandy, and milk. Slowly add the flour and mix until smooth.
Arrange half of the cherries on the bottom of the skillet with their juices. Pour batter over the top, then arrange remaining cherries on top.
Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.
When the clafouti comes out of the oven it will be puffed nice and high, and as it cools it will deflate. This is all perfectly normal. It is best served warm with a dollop of freshly whipped cream or even a scoop of ice-cream. There’s no wrong way to eat it. Leftovers make for an amazing breakfast the next day!
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