Cherry Clafoutis

Ever since I have my first taste of Cherry Clafoutis last year, I have been waiting impatiently for the next cherry season to come. Although I enjoy eating them out of hand, the pleasure of biting into one in the form of clafoutis is incomparable.

As soon as I grabbed a bag of the early season cherries, I saved most of them for clafoutis. Insteads of using my "regular recipe", I adapted one from the dessert queen- Ms Tartelette. I replaced the fruits in her recipe with cherries, and added vanilla beans in the batter. The clafoutis is delicious! I love her version so much that I make the clafoutis twice. The first batch, in individual ramekins, with a touch of Chambord; was brought to a gathering at my friend Grace's place. And the second batch, with the addition of rhubarb, was baked on a whim while I was home alone.

The pictures here are from the second batch. Made with cherries and rhubarb in an attempt to clear my fridge before an upcoming trip to Boulder. Sprinkled with chopped pistachios because I like the color and bite.

Since OCT is away attending conference, I decide to take a break from cooking. This cherry and rhubarb clafoutis has become my breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sometime when I am alone, I can eat the same thing for the whole day. Or if I am feeling up to it, I'll try food with weird combinations, such as fried egg on strawberries and mangoes, drizzled with balsamic vinegar. Please tell me that this is perfectly normal! :)

As much as I love the addition of rhubarb in the second batch, it turned out to be too wet.I should have macerated the rhubarb longer (maybe an hour?)to make sure that some of the juice get released.

Cherry Clafoutis/ Cherry Rhubarb Clafoutis
adapted from here

14 oz of cherries (or 2 handfuls or more to your liking)
3 ounces flour
1 ounce cornstarch
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups 2% milk
1 ounce butter,(2 tablespoons) melted
4 ounces sugar
Pulps from half a vanilla bean, (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
2 teaspoons Chanbord (optional)
chopped pistachio (optional)
*substitute 7 oz of rhubarb with cherries if using, macerate the rhubarb with 2 tablespoons of sugar, and left at room temperature for 1 hour, to release some of the juice*

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Arrange the cherries (and rhubarb) on a buttered glass or earthenware baking dish, cake pan (9 or 10 inches in diameter) or skillet.

Mix the all purpose flour, corstarch, sugar and vanilla beans together in a large bowl.

In another mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, melted butter and Chambord, if using.

Slowly pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients, whisking well to make sure there is as little lumps as possible.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes or until the clafoutis turns golden brown and set. Let cool to room temperature. Sprinkle with chopped pistachio or confectioners' sugar.

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Blackberries and Mango Clafoutis

Blackberries and Mango Clafoutis was what I had for breakfast last weekend. Man, I feel so proud of myself when I eat breakfast on rare occasions! Although I know it's important and it will fuel me until lunch time, and helps me to focus etc, I am used to skipping breakfast. It's bad, I know. You see, I am not a milk drinker. So the milk+ granola combo that most people eat for breakfast doesn't work for me. And fruits? No, they help in digestion, and probably will make me hungrier than full later on. How about bread? Yes. I ate that for 13 years while growing up, so No thanks. Normally, a cup of coffee is all I have for breakfast.

To rectify the situation, I try to make something that would pique my interest for breakfast on weekends. Pancakes work for awhile, then it lost its appeal. This month, thanks to Bron, who is hosting the latest round of Hay Hay It's Donna's Day, I am reminded that clafoutis is perfectly acceptable for breakfast. And I should bake a batch before I miss the deadline again! Oh, I am terrible at keeping deadlines. Or other important dates/numbers in general.

Although I enjoy eating cherry clafoutis, they are just not available this time of the year, (depressing, I know). Instead, I spied some mangoes and blackberries on sale in the grocery store. Not entirely sure if the two would go well together, I know there's just one way to find out- whipping up a batch myself. Which I clearly did. The lovely thing about this clafoutis batter is, it is highly adaptive. It works for cherries, plums and berries + mango! Now I have a recipe for blackberries & mango clafoutis! I topped the clafoutis with chopped pistachio, which added a nice contrasting texture and flavor to the clafoutis.

I love it, I am now a good girl who eats her breakfast! (on weekends :p) So do you eat breakfast ? What do you eat for breakfast everyday? I need some inspiration here.

Blackberries and Mango Clafoutis
adapted from Ceres and Bacchus

3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 6 oz pack blackberries
1/2 sweet mango, diced (you can use more mango and less berries too)
some chopped pistachios

Preheat the oven to 400 F. With a mixing bowl, beat the sugar and eggs with a wire whisk until they turn lighter in color. Gradually add in the melted butter, beating to incorporate. Add the flour all at once and whisk until the batter is a homogeneous mixture.

Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla,whisking to combine. The batter should be very smooth and shiny.

Distribute the berries and diced mango in 7 disposable aluminium dishes,(or you can also use a buttered glass or earthenware baking dish, cake pan (9 or 10 inches in diameter) or skillet, as the original recipe suggests). Pour the batter over the fruit. Bake for approximately 20-30 minutes (longer if you can using a bigger pan), until slightly browned and almost completely set in the middle. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold. (I baked them at night, had one before sleep and another one for breakfast the next morning.)

Top some chopped pistachio on the clafoutis before serving.

Make 7 individual size clafoutis for weekend breakfast.

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