France | Breakfast | Desserts | Cherries | Spring | Summer | Baking

Clafouti

(French cherry flan)

Yield: 3-4 servings


INGREDIENTS PREP AMOUNT
Milk 1 1/4 cup
Sugar 2/3 cup
Eggs 3 each
Vanilla 2 tsp
Salt pinch
Flour 1/2 cup
 
Cherries pitted 3 cups
 
Powdered sugar 1/4 cup

METHOD

Basic Steps:  Puree → Bake → Garnish
  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place milk, sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt and flour in a blender and puree till smooth.
  2. Butter the bottom of a deep pie dish or a 2-quart baking dish at least 1 1/2" deep. Spread cherries evenly in the dish. Pour the batter over the top.
  3. Bake on middle rack of the oven for 45-50 minutes, until top is browned and knife inserted into middle of dish comes out clean. Remove from oven.
  4. Sprinkle powdered sugar over top of clafouti with a sieve. Serve immediately.

VARIATIONS

  • Add a couple tablespoons of kirschwasser or cognac or 1 tsp 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 from 2/3 to 1 1/4 cups.

NOTES

  • Clafouti originated in the Limousin region of France. During peak cherry season it is often served as a breakfast dish. It is traditionally made without first pitting the cherries.