Cherry Clafouti

The clafouti is an interesting dessert. The flavors are not as strong as your typical French dessert, and the texture is a bit odd, but the end result is a delicious and slightly sweet confection.



I love cherries. Imagine if one of your favorite foods was only available three weeks of the year! Alas, such is my fate. So every July I go crazy for cherries, and this dessert is a delightful use of this juicy summer fruit.



Clafoutis are a cinch to prepare. Many different fruits can be substituted for cherries, such as raspberries, plums, peaches, or a combination of each.



Martha Stewart recommends serving clafouti warm, but I disagree. This dessert's eggy texture has much better flavor when cold. It keeps well, and I find that the custard actually tastes better after a day in the fridge.

From a preparation and combination standpoint the
Clafouti comes together easily. There are few ingredients, and no real art in assembling it; and better yet, all this ease yields a delicious, oddly textured dessert. The key to a good, flavorful clafouti is fresh eggs and high quality fruit, so as to stand up to the heat of baking.

Ingredients:
-- [2 large eggs]
-- [1 large yolk]
-- [1/3 C white flour]
-- [1 1/2 Whole milk]
-- [1/2 C granulated sugar, plus a bit more for the baking dish]
-- [2 Tsp vanilla extract]
-- [1/2 tsp salt]
-- [1 1/2 cup cherries, pitted and halved]

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9" round pan and then coat with granulated sugar; shake out excess.

1. Whisk eggs, egg yolk, and flour in a bowl.
2. Whisk in milk, granulated sugar, vanilla and salt. Beat until a smooth, milky texture.
3. Arrange cherries in dish, cut side up. Slowly pour batter over cherries.
4. Bake until golden brown around edges, usually 30-35 min. The clafouti will puff up while baking and then fall down while cooling; this is normal.
5. Cut and serve when cool.