French Custard Cake With Cherries - Clafoutis
French custard cake with cherries, based on Michel Roux Jr.’s version, made with brandy-soaked fruit and a thick, pancake-like batter.
Ingredients
- 25 large ripe dark cherries
- 200 ml cherry brandy Kirsch or Maraschino
- a few tsp icing sugar (powdered or confectioners)
BATTER
- 3 eggs
- 150 g plain white flour
- 130 g unsalted butter (set aside 10g for later stage)
- 180 ml full-fat milk
- 2 tbsp double cream
- 100 g white caster sugar
- 1 vanilla pod
- 1 tbsp finely ground almonds
Instructions
- Soak the cherries in cherry brandy for at least 1 hour. Drain (do not squeeze) and spread evenly in a well-buttered baking dish.
- Beat the eggs with a fork, then add the flour and whisk until smooth. Add cooled melted butter, then milk, sugar, almonds and vanilla seeds. Mix until cohesive and lump-free.
- Pour the batter over the cherries.
- Bake at 200°C for 10 minutes, then reduce to 170°C and bake for another 15 minutes. Add a few pieces of butter on top and bake 5 minutes more.
- Let the cake cool fully before slicing. Dust with icing sugar and serve plain or with vanilla ice cream or cream.
Notes
The total calorie content of the dish is approximately 2,100 calories. This is an estimate and will vary depending on the specific products and brands used. The cake yields 6 slices, which works out to around 350 calories per slice.
The ingredients listed are for a 20 cm baking dish, which yields about 6 medium slices, ideal for 2 to 3 people. If you're baking for a family or larger group, double all the ingredients and use a wider dish large enough to hold the cherries in a single layer. Any leftover batter can be used to make a thick pancake.