Cherry Clafouti recipe

Yesterday I accompanied my daughter to the Farmer's Market at Pioneer Park in Salt Lake City. I was amazed at how many people crowded the area until I saw the array of produce. We picked up melons and greens and beets and then I spied the prize - tubs of sweetened pie cherries. The samples had me drooling, so I HAD to buy a large tub of frozen cherries. We eventually lugged our heavy treasures back to the car (we sure could have used a child's wagon!)

Although I could easily eat the entire tub of pie cherries all by myself, I wanted to be able to share them with the rest of the family. Voila! King Arthur Flour Company sent me a French dessert recipe to try.

The recipe is easy: place the fruit in the bottom of the round cake pan. Blend the rest of the short list of ingredients together and pour over the fruit (a stick blender made short work of the process.) Bake.

The cake is custardy and the fruit magnifique! (translation: Yum!!!!)

Cherry Clafouti

This French dessert is traditionally made with fresh cherries. But if you're feeling adventurous, try it with fresh berries, pitted Italian prune plums, or sliced peaches, apples, or pears.

• 3 to 3 1/2 cups Bing Cherries, pitted
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup lukewarm milk
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, optional
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds, to garnish the top, optional

• 1 to 1 1/4 pounds Bing cherries, pitted
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 8 ounces lukewarm milk
• 1 ounce melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, optional
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 ounces sugar
• 3 ounces King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 ounce toasted sliced almonds, to garnish the top, optional

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 450°F. Lightly grease a 9" round cake pan.

2) Pit the cherries, and put them into the pan; they should form a single layer that pretty much covers the bottom of the pan.

3) In a blender or food processor, blend the remaining ingredients till smooth and frothy. If you're using a mixer, beat the liquid ingredients, then add the sugar and flour, quickly whisking to combine.

4) Pour the batter over the cherries in the pan.

5) Bake the clafouti on a lower-middle rack of your oven for 20 minutes.

6) Reduce the oven heat to 350°F, and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.

7) Remove from the oven, and wait 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

8) Garnish with toasted almonds, if desired.

Yield: 8 servings.

Recipe summary

Hands-on time:

10 mins. to 30 mins.

Baking time:

30 mins. to 35 mins.

Total time:

40 mins. to 1 hrs 5 mins.

Yield:

8 servings.