Recipe: Cherry clafoutis

1 hour, 15 minutes, plus cooling time. Serves 6 to 8

4 cups fresh dark cherries (about 1 pound), stemmed but unpitted

3 eggs

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

2/3 cup milk or cream or a mixture of the two

Vanilla bean, scraped

Pinch of sea salt

Powdered sugar for dusting

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the cherries in a single layer in the bottom of a 9- to 10-inch baking dish or cast-iron skillet.

2. In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs with a fork or whisk, add the sugar, flour, milk or cream, vanilla seeds and salt. Pour the batter over the cherries. Slip the pan into the oven and bake until the top is browned and the juices are bubbling, about 1 hour (timing will vary depending on the size and type of baking dish or skillet).

3. Remove and cool slightly. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the top. Serve warm or at room temperature, either plain or with a dollop of softly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

EACH OF 8 SERVINGS

Calories 133

Protein 4 grams

Carbohydrates 24 grams

Fiber 1 gram

Fat 3 grams

Saturated fat 1 gram

Cholesterol 72 mg

Sugar 16 grams

Sodium 36 mg

NOTE: This recipe calls for a 9- to 10-inch baking dish or cast-iron skillet. Look through a stack of French cookbooks and you can find an easy dozen recipes for clafoutis, defined in 1964 by l’Academie Francaise as a cherry flan. The recipes are all basically very similar. You can embellish the recipe with a pinch of ground cinnamon, orange or lemon zest, or a dollop of Kirsch (cherry eau de vie). Some recipes add a little melted butter to the batter.