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Monday, August 3, 2009

Cherry Clafouti



Val, from More than Burnt Toast recently posted Julia Child's cherry clafouti . Since making a clafouti was on my "must do" list, it seemed rather fitting that something Julia should make the blog list on the premiere week for the movie Julie and Julia. AND since we're right into cherry season in Ontario, Canada and I just happen to have a bazillion cherries (give or take), it was a pretty easy decision.



The other cool thing that I had to do (or at least it seemed cool in my mind)was to try out my brother's newest acquisition - a cherry pitter. Now that I've used it, my brother may have a hard time getting it back. How does someone pit cherries without it. I admit, cherry pitting isn't my favourite thing to do and yes, I should have worn plastic gloves but I'm thinking my purple hands will have gone back to normal before Psychgrad has her first baby (no pressure)



This toy works like a charm. It's fast and easy and makes really short work of an otherwise tedious job. The one thing it doesn't do is take away from a juicy cherry mess.


Food Buzz - if you're watching, don't be sad - your apron for which I am entirely grateful, was put to great use and fought like a soldier. It may not have won the war but it certainly came out of it with greater strength of character.

Julia Child's Cherry Clafouti

Ingredients

1 -1/4 cups milk
2/3 cup sugar, divided
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup flour
3 cups cherries, pitted
powdered sugar, for garnish

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees 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-inch layer of the blended mixture over the bottom. Set remaining batter aside.

Place dish into the oven for about 7-10 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.

I liked the rustic look of this dish and moreso how easy it was to prepare. Definitely on my do again list

13 comments:

  1. I've got a bag of cherries in the fridge that need a purpose other than snacking, this looks like IT!

    I adore my cherry pitter! It's an OXO brand and has a little plastic shield on it to help keep your kitchen from looking like a murder scene. I set it on top of a paper towel before squeezing the handles to push the pit out and barely even make a mess.

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  2. Julia's Cherry Clafoutri was delicious wasn't it. Since we live on opposite sides of the country this is the next best thing to sharing bread...and the apron lost the battle:D

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  3. I make this fabulous cherry salsa with grilled tilapia, but I have had to pit the cherries manually (which takes FOREVER) because everyone is out of stock of the cherry pitters!

    And now you torture me with this amazing recipe.

    I think I must surrender and purchase one on-line before the season is over.

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  4. Cherries are messy but oh so good!

    This looks amazing!

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  5. Messy yummy deliciousness. Love it! :)

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  6. i love the look of deeply-dark cherries, especially when they're surrounded by either a crust or some sort of custardy goodness. awesome treat, giz!

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  7. I'm laughing at your apron. My kitchen looked like a murder scene after making cherry jam

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  8. I pit cherries by hand - with my hands in plastic bags so it doesn't look like I'm Lady Macbeth.

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  9. What did you think of cherry clafouti?

    I tried it last year. I wasnt that wowed by it. It's okay.

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  10. Wear that apron as a badge of success...that's a great looking clafouti! (But I bet FB sends you a new one.)

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  11. I just bought a similar cherry pitter and love it! But I made a cherry pie. Next on my list - if I can still find fresh cherries - is a fabulous clafoutis like yours. I love them.

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  12. And I did just want to add that I was wiping cherry juice off the kitchen chairs when I was done pitting them.

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  13. This is the recipe I use for my clafouti. Giz are you coming to Queensland for the Transplant Games? I see they are on at the end of this month.

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