CLAFOUTIS

Hailing from central France, this dense and rich flan is made with black cherries embraced in an eggy batter that bakes up like a flan in the middle and a cake around the edges.
It is impressive enough to serve to last minute dinner guests and yet it’s low-effort enough to make for yourself when craving for something sweet hits
Traditionally, clafoutis are made with dark cherries but as summer progresses into fall, you can make clafoutis with any fruit that’s in season,
like plums, blackberries, apples even dry prunes or apricots.
 
 
Ingredients for 6
 
1 teaspoon of unsalted butter
400 g cherries
150g plain flour
120g sugar
3 eggs
300ml whole milk
A pinch of sea salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract or a Tahitian vanilla bean ( I recommend to fly to Tahiti to buy some, you will never regret !! :)
 
 
Method

1. Move your oven rack to the middle and preheat the oven to 220C.
2. Mix the sugar with the eggs until the mixture whitens.
3. Add the mixture to the the flour then the salt and mix well, then gradually pour the milk until totally smooth.
4. Add the vanilla.
5. Grease a 25cm round baking dish or a rectangular cake dish with the softened butter.
6. Dot the cherries (stoned, if you prefer) around the base of the dish. The French traditional method is we don’t pit our cherries as it gives an almond flavour but there is an issue, is that eating a lovely clafoutis and then biting into hard pit is not fun !
7. Pour over the batter until the cherries are just covered.
8. Place in the oven to bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until puffy and golden.

It’s fantastic straight out of the oven, but letting it cool to room temperature firms up the custard and allows the flavours to meld, providing an entirely different experience.