Clafoutis aux Cerises et Amandes
Clafoutis aux Cerises et Amandes·(kla-foo-TEE oh suh-REEZ ay ah-MAHND)
Chapter 5 — Desserts & Café
If you have ever killed an afternoon at a Spring Street bistro with a half-bottle of Sancerre and a slice of cherry clafoutis, you know the difference between the real thing and a rubbery, hastily baked pancake. In the French countryside, grandmothers leave the cherry pits in to release a bitter-almond aroma, but in a busy dining room, nobody wants to spit stones onto a white tablecloth. To save your teeth without sacrificing that essential flavor, pastry chefs deploy a clever sleight of hand: they pit the fruit, but fortify the batter with blanched almond flour and a hit of Kirsch. We’re doing exactly that, dragging it through an overnight rest to hydrate the starches and baking it in a screaming-hot, sugar-dusted cast-iron skillet for a caramelized edge that tastes exactly like the real deal.
Before you start
Whisk the eggs, sugar, and vanilla into a thickened base.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the granulated sugar and vanilla bean seeds for about two minutes until pale and frothy.
Blend in the dry and wet ingredients to form a smooth batter.
Gently whisk in the almond flour, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and sea salt, followed by the heavy cream, whole milk, the first tablespoon of Kirsch, and the melted butter.
Rest the batter in the refrigerator overnight.
Do not skip this; a 12-to-24-hour rest relaxes the gluten, fully hydrates the starches, and ensures a dense, silken custard rather than a spongy pancake.
Macerate the pitted cherries in a splash of Kirsch.
About two hours before you plan to bake, toss the cherries with the remaining one tablespoon of Kirsch at room temperature to soften the fruit and draw out excess moisture.
Ingredients
- eggs3 large
- granulated sugar1/2 cup
- vanilla bean1 med
- blanched almond flour1/2 cup
- all-purpose flour1/4 cup
- cornstarch2 tbsp
- fine sea salt1/2 tsp
- heavy cream1 1/4 cup
- whole milk1/2 cup
- Kirsch1 tbsp
- unsalted cultured French butter2 tbsp
- fresh sweet cherries1 lb
- Kirsch1 tbsp
- unsalted cultured French butter1 tbsp
- raw sugar2 tbsp
- confectioners sugar2 tbsp
Method
- 01
Prepare the cast-iron skillet with cultured butter and raw sugar.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Smear a 10-inch cast-iron skillet generously with the softened cultured butter, then coat the bottom and sides evenly with the raw sugar, tapping out any excess to guarantee a chewy, caramelized edge.
- 02
Assemble the clafoutis.
Arrange the macerated cherries in a single tight layer in the skillet, give the chilled batter a gentle stir, and pour it over the fruit so the cherries peek out just above the liquid line.
- 03
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until deeply golden.
The clafoutis is done when it puffs dramatically around the edges and the center still exhibits a slight, sensual jiggle.
- 04
Allow the clafoutis to cool and deflate before serving.
It will aggressively fall as it cools on a wire rack—this is exactly what is supposed to happen. Dust generously with confectioners sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Cultured butter is strictly non-negotiable for the skillet.
American sweet cream butter lacks the requisite lactic acid and tang needed to properly balance the profound sweetness of the cherries and raw sugar. Spring for the good 83% fat French butter.
The spectacular deflation upon cooling is entirely intentional.
Do not panic when the clafoutis collapses after exiting the oven; this natural physical behavior condenses the aerated puff into a properly dense, creamy custard.