I saw this recipe months ago and keep thinking about it. It’s credited to Julia Child and the pictures look great.

Having an extra bag of fresh cherries, I decided today is the day.

I’m posting this early, as I haven’t tasted it yet. I think I put in too much cherries, so it’s not setting the way it should. Since I have another bag of cherries, I’ll just have to try again in a few days …

Cherry Clafoutis

• 1-1/4 cups milk
• 2/3 cup sugar, divided
• 3 eggs
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3 cups cherries, pitted
• powdered sugar, for garnish4 to 8 Tbsp unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Using a blender, combine the milk, 1/3 cup sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt and flour, and blend.

Lightly butter an 8-cup baking dish, and pour a 1/4″ layer of the blended mixture over the bottom. Set remaining batter aside.

Place dish into the oven for about 7 to 10 minutes, until a film of batter sets in the pan but the mixture is not baked through. Remove from oven (but don’t turn the oven off, yet).

Distribute the pitted cherries over the set batter in the pan, then sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Pour the remaining batter over the cherries and sugar.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes, until the clafouti is puffed and brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve warm.

Servings: 6-8 for dessert, 4 for breakfast.

Notes:

Way too late I discovered we only had 1 egg left, so I substituted buttermilk for the last 2 eggs. This will make it tangier, but I don’t know for sure what it will do to the structure.

I think I added too many cherries. My result shows a LOT more cherries than the pictures I’ve seen … NOT that pictures of food are anything remotely authentic.

It baked for 72 minutes and still wasn’t fully set in the center. I’m letting it cool, and if it’s not quite right? Well, I’ll eat it anyway.

I have plenty of cherries to try again in a couple of days, and intend to do so.

Black Forest Crepes

Topping:
21 oz can cherry pie filling
1 tsp almond extract
Crepes:
2/3 cup milk
2 eggs
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup blanched almonds, ground
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Filling:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3x 1 oz squares semisweet chocolate, melted & cooled
Assembly:
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Topping: In a small bowl, combine pie filling and almond extract; cover and refrigerate until chilled.

Crepes: Place the milk, eggs, butter, almonds and flour in a blender; cover and process until smooth.
Heat a lightly greased 8″ nonstick skillet; pour about 2 Tbsp batter into center of skillet. Lift and tilt pan to coat bottom evenly. Cook until top appears dry and bottom is golden brown; turn and cook 15-20 seconds longer. Remove to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter, greasing skillet as needed. Stack cooled crepes with waxed paper or paper towels in between.

Filling: In a mixing, beat cream and chocolate until soft peaks form.

Assembly: Spoon about 2 Tbsp filling over each crepe; roll up. Top with cherry mixture and sprinkle with slivered almonds.
Notes: We were out of almond extract so I substituted a mixture of rum and vanilla extracts. I forgot the almonds for the topping … but after drizzling the sauce over it and artfully placing 6 cherries on top and 2 along side … no one noticed.