I think clafouti is one of the most commonly found desserts in France after crème brulée.
Clafouti is traditionally made with cherries; the fruit is baked in a custard, flan-like batter. Contrary to crème caramel (which is somewhat like a flan), clafouti is made with flour. Just sprinkle on little powdered sugar before serving and you’ll get oohs and ahhs from your guests.
This dessert is my finishing touch to my 4-course "French meal" in honor of the opening of the movie called "Julie and Julia".
1. Info for Clafouti aux Cerises (Cherry French Flan)
- Cook Time: unavailable
- Total Time: unavailable
- Servings: 18
- Calories: unavailable
2. Ingredients for Clafouti aux Cerises (Cherry French Flan)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 6 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 6 cups fresh Bing cherries, washed, stemmed, pitted
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon imitation brandy extract
- 1 vanilla bean, slit lengthwise
- 2-1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for greasing the ramekins
3. Directions:
- Place the cherries in a bowl. Coat them in 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and brandy. Let macerate for about 10-15 minutes until the juices begin to flow.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Using a handheld mixer, whisk the eggs with the sugar until you get a pale, yellow foam.
- Using a paring knife, scrape and gather all the grains of the vanilla bean. Add the grains of vanilla to the eggs.
- Combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Sift the dry ingredients. Form a well in the center of the bowl. Pour in the egg mixture. Add the milk. Mix until the batter is smooth. Do NOT overmix.
- Pour the custard mixture through a sieve, then pour about 1-1/2 tablespoons into each ramekin (previously lightly greased with butter).
- Bake for 2 minutes at 400°F. Open the oven, add 3 cherries per ramekin, sprinkle them with the remaining brown sugar and cover the fruit with the remaining batter, up to the top of the ramekin. Close the oven; bake for 10 minutes at 375°F, then lower the temperature to 350°F for another 35 minutes.
- Let it cool for a few minutes. Serve warm, sprinkled with powdered sugar.
- Bon appétit!