Le Temps des Cerises ~ Cherry Season
June is cherry heaven in Paris: the open-air markets have huge, shiny, mouth-watering piles of cerises, in every shade from burgundy to, well, cherry-red. I always have some left when the next market day rolls around, but I can never resist buying more, happily toting home another heavy little bagful of juicy red gems.
Given the overabundance, I’ve finally solved a long-standing mystery: With an unlimited supply of fresh cherries to eat in one sitting, could I stop? Happily for my waistline, the answer was yes. But what to do with the rest of the bounty? As in many French households this time of year, the solution is simple: cherry clafoutis. A cross between custard and cake, clafoutis (pronounced “klah-foo-tee”) is said to have originated in the Limousin region of France, where dark cherries grow in abundance. The word clafoutis comes from the occitan dialect verb clafir, which means “to fill.”
In a truly “authentic” clafoutis, the cherries are unpitted, which lends a more complex and almost nutty taste. But I can’t get over the feeling I’m about to crack my tooth on a pit, and would rather sink wholly into the taste-bud-tingling experience and not worry about it, so the following recipe uses pitted cherries and a little almond extract instead. You can use any variety of fresh or frozen (drained) cherries. For that matter, you can substitute most other fruits as well—try sliced pears, plums, peaches, apricots, or apples. Clafoutis is easy, quick, and delicious—a perfect summer dessert for everyday or a special treat for guests.
Clafoutis aux Cerises ~ Cherry Clafoutis
Serves 4 to 6
1-1/2 pounds (3 to 4 cups/675 g) fresh cherries or frozen (thawed and well-drained)
2 tablespoons (1 oz/28 g) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons (1 oz/28 gr) unsalted butter, melted then cooled to room temp
2/3 cup ( 3.5 oz/100g) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (3 oz/90 g) granulated sugar
Scant 1/8 teaspoon (very small pinch) salt
4 eggs
1-1/3 cup (11 fl oz/315 ml) milk, warmed
2 teaspoons (10 g) vanilla extract
3 tablespooons (25 g) granulated sugar
Powdered sugar
Optional (but recommended):
¼ teaspoon almond extract and/or
2 tablespoons (30 g) kirsch or other cherry-flavored liqueur (or rum, if preferred)
Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
Wash and stem the cherries, then pat dry with paper towels. Pit them and set aside.
With the softened butter, grease a shallow ovenproof dish large enough to hold the cherries in a single layer (e.g., a 2-quart gratin dish).
Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Gradually whisk in the milk, stirring constantly and vigorously until the batter is smooth. Stir in the vanilla and/or almond flavorings and the kirsch. Let the batter rest for ten minutes, then stir again.
Please the cherries in a single layer in the baking dish and gently pour the batter over them. Bake for about 25 minutes. Evenly sprinkle the top of the batter with the 3 T. sugar. Return to the oven and bake 20-25 minutes more, or until the top is puffed and golden brown. (It will collapse when removed from the oven). Remove from the oven and cool until lukewarm.
Sprinkle the clafoutis with powdered sugar before serving. Clafoutis is best served slightly warm (not hot) or at room temperature, though it is also good cold. Refrigerate leftovers…if there are any.
Posted: June 28th, 2007 under Le Temps des Cerises ~Cherry Season.
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