It was a clue in the crossword puzzle today which made me think of it, although the answer wasn’t the “it” I was thinking about. The delicious “it” I was thinking about is Cherry Clafoutis, or Clafoutis Limousin, which my cookery book translates as Cherry Batter Pudding. The recipe which I have got in my book about provincial French cooking is one of those where it’s not written broken down into separate instructions, but as one long piece. Anyway, since it is cherry season, and they are so delicious at the moment, here it is:
- 1/4 pint of milk
- * 3 eggs
- * 2 oz plain flour
- * 2 oz sugar
- * 1/2 – to 1 tsp vanilla essence, or 2 tbsp dark rum (i might like a teaspoonful of each!)
- * 1 1/2 oz butter
- * 1 1/2 lb fresh black sweet cherries, washed and stalked but not stoned
- * icing sugar
Preheat teh oven to Mark 6/ 400F. To make the batter in the blender, put the milk, eggs, flour, sugar and rum in the blender, jar, and whirl at high speed for a few seconds. Turn the machine off and scrape down the sides of the jar with a rubber spatula, then blend again for about 40 seconds. If you do not have a blender, stir the flour and eggs togetehr in a large bowl, and slowly stir in the milk, sugar and the vanilla essence or rum. Beat with a balloon whisk or a rotary egg beater until the flour lumps have disappeared and teh batter is smooth.
Pat teh cherries completely dry with kitchen paper. Spread them evenly in a shallow, well buttered baking dish that holds 2 to 3 pints. Pour in the batter. Bake in the centre of the oven for about half an hour, until the top is golden brown and firm to the touch. Dust lightly with icing sugar, and serve the clafoutis while it is still warm.
The recipe doesn’t give a warning to watch out for the cherry stones, but I think I would!!
I have no image of cherries, but I have one of a cherry tree in full bloom!
Lois Elsden 