I love cherries… But I rarely buy them.
Considering the fact that everyone around here has their own cherry trees, they are surprisingly expensive to buy.
Maybe the fact that they don’t keep well makes them difficult to get to market in a timely fashion so the cost is higher.
Fortunately, we have a source.
Did I mention that mon mari has joined the ranks of the gainfully employed? He’s doing mowing and odd repair bits for absentee property owners (English).
One of them has a cherry tree.
They’re not here.
It would be a shame to let all those lovely cherries go to waste.
And they make such a mess if just allowed to fall.
He’s almost has an obligation to pick them… And bring them home to me, of course.
So I can make a Cherry Clafoutis.
Traditionally, the cherries in a Cherry Clafoutis have the stones left in. Supposedly the cherry stones enhance the flavor, adding a hint of almond.
In the interest of keeping our teeth, I removed the stones and added almond extract.
Cherry Clafoutis
Total time: 60 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 3 – 4 cups cherries, stoned, enough to make a layer in your dish
Instructions:
- Melt the butter, remove from heat and set aside.
- Put sugar, eggs in a deep bowl and whisk (with a large whisk) until they turn lighter in color, 2 – 3 minutes.
- Gradually add the butter, whisking constantly.
- Add the flour, all at once, and whisk until well combined.
- Slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly.
- Add the almond extract. The batter should be smooth and shiny.
- Put the cherries into a buttered glass baking dish, quiche pan or deep pie plate, (or even a round metal cake pan) 10 in. (25cm) in diameter.
- Pour the batter over the top and bake, 400F (200C) 30-35 minutes.
- It should be lightly browned and almost completely set in the middle.
- Let sit 10 – 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.
Note: It’s easier to put the baking dish on a baking tray before you pour the batter over. It’s easier to handle and if you spill it’s on the tray! The center will just barely jiggle when it’s done.
Three years ago this weekend we brought two cute little puppies home with us.
I thought a photo was in order to mark the anniversary.
Besides, I wanted to prove that they’ve learned something in three years.
They are both being very well-behaved in a ‘down, stay’.
I couldn’t keep their heads still though….
They look a wee bit different than this first photo taken the day we got home with them.
Our grass is a bit greener as well, thanks to all the rain lately.
It’s been a fun (ahem) three years
They have grown into such beautiful dogs but I bet they didn’t maintain that pose for long!
I am hoping that we will get more than 2 cherries this year but if they are ripening now, the birds might get there before us as we have two weeks to go. It is a pity they don’t carry on ripening after they are picked because they bruise so easily when fully ripe. That is why we planted two trees a couple of years ago. I hope to get a fig tree in this year for the same reason.
Lovely dogs they have become and apparently your training is working at last! 🙂 Unless there be bunnies…
Gil, the cherries around here are done…. the season is so short, barely 2 weeks it seems. But the figs are looking good.
Zoomie, there is no holding them if there be bunnies LOL
I can’t believe you have cherries already – our trees have just started to blossom.
I’m with you on Clafoutis – I always remove the pits and add the extract. At my age ne teeth are expensive.
Jerry, one has to be practical LOL. I should have plums soon…. jealous?