The traditional way to eat cherries for dessert is in the classic French clafoutis (a sort of flan-meets-crêpe affair). And it is still unbeatable.
Ingredients
- 500g cherries, stalked but not stoned (c’mon, you have to play cherry stones afterwards!)
- Butter, for greasing
- 125g flour
- 50g caster sugar, plus extra to serve
- 3 eggs
- Pinch of salt
- 400ml milk
Method
- 1. Arrange the cherries in a generously buttered baking dish, packed as tightly together as possible. Cover them with a batter made from the flour, caster sugar, eggs, salt and milk.
- 2. Bake at 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4 for about half an hour and check to see if it has set. It may need 5-10 minutes longer. Eat while still warm, dusted with extra sugar. Et voila!
Chef's tip
Another way to eat cherries is to wash a generous bunch of very ripe cherries, stalks and all, and marinate them in a bowl of ice cubes. That’s it. The cherries swell imperceptibly as they are chilled and the taste intensifies.