Cherry Clafoutis (bonus recipe for all subscribers!)

Vanilla custard made in 1 minute in a blender, baked with any berry, cherry, or stone fruit. Nut free, gluten free (and easily dairy free)

Cherry clafoutis with vanilla and wild fennel seeds

This time of year I constantly have a rotating surplus of some kind of fruit, but not enough to make jam, and just enough energy to blitz a batter in a blender.

This is a fantastically fast custard to make—it blends up in 10 seconds—and is even faster if you have fruit that you don’t need to do anything to like blackberries, raspberries, gooseberries etc. Cherries are classic, but figs would be fantastic, or any stone fruit.

I couldn’t find my cherry pitter, so I baked them whole and felt tres French. I found pitted and un-pitted versions in France, and clafoutis there ranged from very set slices sold at room temperature in patisseries, to a softer set served warm in restaurants. Leaving the pits in is supposed to impart a subtle almond flavor from the kernel, although I have to say it’s extremely subtle.

If you make it with UNpitted cherries, don’t serve to kids and let your diners know there’s pits in the dessert.

This recipe is lower on the sweetness scale, and can be flavored with vanilla, a dash of kirsch, grappa, or any other liquor. We have tons of wild fennel this time of year in California (sorry I’m a broken record on wild fennel, I can’t get enough of the stuff), so I pulled some fresh seeds from their stalks and topped the custard with them. The scent of vanilla custard, hot cherries, and fennel filled my apartment and is incredible.

Serve on its own warm, or with a little lightly sweetened whipped cream or ice cream.

Clafoutis

Yields one 8-inch or 9-inch round, serving 4 people generously, up to 6 people

• 350ml / 1 1/2 C whole milk, dairy or non-dairy

• 7 Tbs sugar

• 3 eggs, large

• 2 tsp vanilla OR 1 Tbs kirsch, grappa, or favorite liquor or liqueur

• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

• 75g / 2/3 C minus 3 Tbs GF flour blend

• 450g / 1# pitted or un-pitted cherries* OR 2 pints berries

Preheat oven to 350ºf. Butter an 8-inch or 9-inch round baking dish or cast iron pan, or any baking vessel that has a 1,400ml / 6-cup capacity. My 8-inch dish (pictured) held just 6 cups, but the custard won’t overflow when baking.

Put all ingredients except for the fruit in a blender, and blend on high for 5 seconds. Let sit for 30 seconds and blend one more time for 5 seconds (to make sure the sugar is dissolved).

Pour into prepared baking dish or pan and top with fruit. Cherries are very dense and heavy, and other fruit will vary considerably. Just fill as much as you like; there’s no wrong way.

Transfer to a baking tray, and put in the oven. Bake for 35 minutes, until golden brown on top. Baking time will vary depending on size of baking dish and whether it is glass, ceramic, or metal. Bake longer if you use an 8-inch pan (deeper custard takes 40 minutes in ceramic). Check for doneness by touching top—you shouldn’t feel liquid jiggle underneath. Bake longer if necessary.

Best served hot, warm, or at room temperature. Clafoutis will keep at room temperature for a day, covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat covered in foil.

* If making with un-pitted cherries, don’t serve to kids, and make sure all diners know there are pits.

Clafoutis

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