cherry-almond clafoutis

A clafoutis is a French dessert that’s essentially fruit baked into a sturdy custard, sort of like a crêpe/Dutch-baby hybrid. I created this one for an article in Bon Appetit and I make it for dinner parties because it can stand for a few hours until I’m ready to serve it and since I can never wait for dessert, it’s great to have a dessert that will wait for me.

photo: Bon Appetit

ingredients

1/2 cup whole almonds (about 2 ounces)
1-1/4 cups whole milk
butter for greasing pan
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup sugar
8 ounces sweet cherries
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup all purpose flour
Powdered sugar

directions

Pulse almonds in a food processor until finely ground but not pasty. Transfer to a small saucepan; add milk and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and let stand for 30 minutes to infuse milk. Meanwhile, pit cherries and cut each one in half. Set cherries aside. When milk has finished steeping, pour through a fine strainer into a bowl, pressing on the almonds to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard almonds.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 10-inch-diameter glass pie dish or oval gratin pan; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Scatter halved cherries evenly over bottom of dish.

Using an electric beater, whip eggs, almond extract, salt and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a medium bowl until well blended. Add strained almond milk and beat to blend. Sift flour into egg mixture and beat until smooth. Pour mixture over cherries. Bake until just set and a knife inserted center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool completely (can stand at room temp for up to 4 hours). Lightly dust clafoutis with powdered sugar and serve.