Cherry Clafoutis

When Robin Bellinger posted this recipe on Serious Eats, I knew I was going to make it. I wanted to enjoy more cherries while they are still in season and her clafoutis looked delicious. I even lifted my moratorium on baking for this one.

My kitchen faces west, so I get the scalding afternoon sun glaring in. It gets hot in there! My solution was to bake this early in the morning while it was still cool. As I was pitting the cherries, I realized I can't possibly go through the summer without baking crisps, crumbles, grunts, and cobblers from delicious and seasonal stone fruits, just because we are having the third hottest summer on record. Morning baking seems like a good answer. . .hmmm, peach cobbler for Sunday Brunch?

Cherry Clafoutis
(compliments Robin Bellinger)
12 oz. fresh cherries, pitted and halved
1 cup minus 2 Tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 cups milk
3 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Place the cherries, cut side down, into a buttered and floured, 9 1/2 inch tart pan, baking dish, or ceramic pie dish.

Whisk the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in half of the milk until the mixture is smooth. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Add the sugar, remaining milk and vanilla, and whisk until smooth.

Pour the batter over the cherries and dot the top with butter. Bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for 25 - 35 minutes, until puffy and lightly browned. Cool completely before serving.