Clafouti

(French cherry flan)

This sweet cherry flan originated in the Limousin region of France and is often served as a breakfast dish. Clafouti is classically made with fresh cherries in early summer, but you can substitute all kinds of seasonal fruits. Cherry clafouti is traditionally made without first pitting the cherries.

Image by acme

3 to 4 servings

Ingredients

Flour -- 1/2 cup
Sugar -- 1/2 to 2/3 cup
Salt -- pinch
Milk -- 1 1/4 cup
Eggs -- 3
Vanilla -- 2 teaspoons
Cherries, pitted -- 3 cups
Powdered sugar -- 1/4 cup

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the flour, sugar, salt, milk, eggs and vanilla in a blender and puree until smooth. Set aside to rest for about 10 minutes.
Butter the bottom of a deep pie dish or a 2-quart baking dish that is at least 1 1/2 inches deep. Spread the cherries evenly over the bottom of the dish and pour the batter over the top.
Place on the middle rack of the oven and bake for for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top is browned and a knife inserted into middle of dish comes out clean.
Remove from oven, sprinkle powdered sugar through a sieve over the top of clafouti and serve immediately.

Variations

Add a couple tablespoons of kirschwasser or cognac or 1 teaspoon of almond extract to the batter if you like.
Substitute other seasonal fruit — pears, apples, berries, plums — for the cherries if you like. With very juicy fruit increase the amount of flour in the recipe to 3/4 cup.