Cherry Clafoutis

I would be pleased to assist you with the recipe for Cherry Clafoutis, a classic French dessert that we can reinterpret with an Italian touch. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 500 g of fresh cherries (better if left with the pit for a more authentic flavor)
• 4 eggs
• 100 g of sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 100 g of flour
• 300 ml of milk
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract (or vanillin)
• Powdered sugar (for dusting)
• Butter for greasing the baking dish

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F).
2. Wash the cherries, dry them and pit them if you prefer (but remember that leaving them whole is the tradition).
3. Grease a baking dish with some butter and spread the cherries on the bottom.
4. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar and a pinch of salt until they become light and fluffy.
5. Gradually add the sifted flour, stirring with a whisk to prevent lumps.
6. Then slowly incorporate the milk, continuing to mix, and then add the vanilla extract.
7. Pour the batter obtained over the cherries in the baking dish.
8. Bake the clafoutis for about 40-45 minutes or until the surface is golden brown and the batter is well cooked. You can do the toothpick test to check the doneness.
9. Remove the clafoutis from the oven and let it cool slightly.
10. Before serving, dust with powdered sugar.

For a completely Italian variant, you can replace the vanilla extract with grated zest of untreated lemon, which will give a fresh and citrusy touch to the dessert. And why not pair it with a glass of Vin Santo or Moscato d’Asti, sweet wines that perfectly complement desserts.

Curiosity

Clafoutis originates from the Limousin region in France and traditionally the cherries are not pitted. The belief is that the pits, by heating up, help to infuse a slight almond aroma into the preparation.