These were probably the last cherries of the season. I found them at Vaison's wonderful Provençal market yesterday morning - dark and juicy and full of flavor. And, having the perfect excuse of friends dropping by I fixed yet another Cherry Clafoutis.
Clafoutis is a very traditional French dessert that can be prepared with different fruits - blueberries, apricots or pears come to mind, but Cherry Clafoutis is the most traditional version.
Except that I don't take tradition quite as far as the French do. I pit my cherries whereas a French housewife will always tell you that unpitted cherries give a much more refined taste to the Clafoutis. I value my teeth too much and as for the taste - just judge for yourself.
You need 1 pound of cherries, 2 large eggs, 5 tbsp flour, 2 tbsp sugar, 3/4 cup cream, the finley grated zest of one - preferably organic - lemon and the juice of half a lemon.
Start by generously buttering a baking dish which you then sprinkle with coarse sugar so that all buttered surfaces are covered in sugar. Distribute the pitted cherries in one even layer on the bottom of the dish. Mix all other ingredients together, then carefully pour the (rather runny) batter over the cherries and bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 180° C/400° F. Best served lukewarm.
Non traditional Cherry Clafoutis - the pits are missing!
