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| Clafouti, August 2008 (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Almonds and stone fruits such as cherries, whose pits have an almondlike flavor, have a natural affinity. Look for finely ground almonds, or almond flour, at specialty markets, or grind whole nuts yourself. Choose raw or blanched untoasted almonds. About 3/4 cup (3 1/2 oz/105 g) whole almonds will be needed to yield 1/2 cup (2 oz/60 g) ground nuts. Almonds are best ground in a nut grinder, although a food processor will also work. Use short pulses and be sure not to grind the almonds for too long, or you'll end up extracting the nuts oils and producing almond butter.
You will need:
1 -2 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (4 oz/125 g) plus
2 tbsp granulated sugar
3 cup (1 lb/500 g) fresh or frozen cherries, pitted
4 pc large eggs
1 1/2 cups (12 fl oz/375 ml) whole milk
2 tbsp Kirsch or other cherry brandy
2 tsp vanilla extract (essence)
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup (4 oz/125 g) unbleached all-purpose (plain) flour
1/2 cup (2 oz/60 g) finely ground almonds
Confectioners' (icing) sugar for dusting
Here's how:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Generously grease a 12-inch (30-cm) oval or 9-by-13 inch (23-by-33-cm) rectangular baking dish with a 2 qt (2-1) capacity with the butter. Dust with the 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Spread the cherries in an even layer in the dish.
In a blender, combine the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, eggs, milk, Kirsch, vanilla, zest and salt. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the flour and ground almonds and blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the blender and blend for 30 seconds more. Pour the mixture into the pan over the cherries and spread evenly.
Bake until the clafouti's edges are puffed and golden, the center is firm, and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes.
Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust the surface with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Note: In the French countryside, this summertime favorite is typically made with whole unpitted cherries, which prevents the cherry juice from bleeding into the batter as it bakes. You may choose to use whole cherries here, but be sure to alert diners to the presence of the pits.
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