Erma Bombeck
YIKES I did it again!! Yes, it was back to the Ottolenghi cookbook for the nth time. Well I had cherries, neatly pitted in a bowl, all thanks to a cherry pitter that Purple Foodie sent me from Mumbai. Well you see, last year I sat for hours pitting cherries by hand, one by end, and sobbed my woe begone tale on twitter. Jamie was horrified that I still lived in the stone age, and didn’t have a cherry pitter! “A what ???” I hollered right back! Never seen one here, and was entirely charmed that such a fab device had been invented; I had been clearly living under a rock. Thereafter the whole summer through I only noticed cherry pitters being used across blogs everywhere, until sweet Shaheen jumped to my rescue.
I have been waiting for cherry season this year very impatiently indeed! A pitter is like a dream come true. Gosh, I could virtually pit cherries for the rest of my life now. Summer is here with stone fruits beginning to flood the market, and this year we’ve had a great crop of Bing like cherries; dark, juicy and sweet beyond belief. I tweeted for suggestions on how to use them, and was thrilled to get loads of suggestions, including one for a clafoutis. Great idea I thought, and headed straight for Ottolenghi.
Had some sour plums (too early for the season), and as I stood there stoning the stubborn fruit, I recalled a recipe for Individual Plum Clafoutis in the Ottolenghi cookbook. I chose to make individual clafoutis servings like in the book, though you can make one large dessert bake if you like. The cherries had to go in according to my original pitted plan. As you might be aware, clafoutis is traditionally made with black cherries. The other change was the heavy cream which we don’t get here locally. So I used a mixture of light cream and some clarified butter which was lying on the shelf. You could possibly use melted white butter instead of clarified butter.
Clafoutis, sometimes in Anglophone countries spelled clafouti, is a baked French dessert of black cherries arranged in a buttered dish and covered with a thick flan-like batter. The clafoutis is dusted with powdered sugar and served lukewarm. A traditional Limousin clafoutis contains pits of the cherries. According to baking purists, the pits release a wonderful flavor when the dish is cooked. If the cherry pits are removed prior to baking, the clafoutis will be milder in flavor. There are numerous variations using other fruits including red cherries, plums, prunes, apples, cranberries or blackberries. When other kinds of fruit are used instead of cherries, the dish is called a flaugnarde.
The results were divine little puffy creations, full of gorgeous taste and were oh-so-satisfying. They were absolutely wonderful eaten warm with a small helping of unsweetened mascarpone cream. A top recipe from a top book; so glad I made them!! The Ottolenghi cookbook has quite a few rustic and moorish fruit bakes that I look forward to making, and summer is turning out to be quite exciting. The prospects of a good cherry crop makes life very bearable indeed, despite the hot weather!! Cherry pie’s next!
I’m sending this recipe off as an entry to a Bake Up Summer Sweets Contest that Dana from beso.com wrote to me about the other day. It’s a fun summer contest, vibrant and refreshing, and has the most enviable prize for the asking … a Kitchen Aid Mixer! U.S. addresses work, so I do a happy jig, and invite you, my dear readers to enter as well!!
beso.com launched the Summer Sweets Recipe contest, hosted by style director, Emily Schuman, the award-winning blogger behind CupcakesandCashmere.com. beso is part of a portfolio of interactive, lifestyle media and TV properties owned by Scripps Networks Interactive Inc., whose other properties include HGTV, the Food Network and Shopzilla Inc.
Share your favorite summer sweets recipe for a chance to win a KitchenAid Mixer! Emily Schuman, Beso’s Style Director, will select the winner and bake up the winning recipe. The grand prize winner will be featured on the Beso Blog in June. If the baker in you needs the best mixer on the market, share your favorite summer sweets recipe in their comment box here. You can copy and paste a favorite recipe OR link it to a recipe site, but make sure to tell them why you love the recipe.! You can see the rules for entry here. Feel free retweet to spread the word if you like.{ RT @vindee: Indiv Cherry Plum Clafoutis & a chance to win a Kitchen Aid Mixer, http://bit.ly/ckvTte , http://twitpic.com/1ky87f @beso }
Individual Cherry & Plum Clafoutis
Adapted from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook
5-6 red ripe plums (I had tiny ones)
200 gms pitted fresh cherries (the kids prefer them pitted; reserve some whole ones for the top)
3 eggs, separated
75gms vanilla or Castor sugar
70gm plain flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
100ml 25% low fat cream
50ml clarified butter (or 150ml double cream instead of low fat cream and butter)
pinch of salt
1/2 vanilla pod
Icing sugar to finish
Method:
Preheat oven to 170C. Brush 6 small ramekins with vegetable oil.
Mix the cream and butter in a bowl and keep aside.
Halve the plums, stone them and cut them into quarters. (I halved 3 for the top). Pit the cherries, and halve them if you like, or leave them whole. Arrange half the fruit at the bottom of the oiled dishes.
To make the batter, whisk the egg yolks with half the sugar until thick and pale. With a rubber spatula, fold in the flour first, then the vanilla extract, butter-cream mix and salt. Slit the bean in half, scrape out the seeds and add to the batter.
Whisk the egg whites with the remaining sugar till they form firm, but not dry, peaks. Fold them into the batter gently. Pour the batter over the fruit to reach about 3/4 of the way up.
Bake in the oven for 15-20minutes, Take out and quickly arrange the remaining fruit on top, slightly overlapping if you wish, and bake for a further 5-7 minutes, until a tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Serve warm with s dusting of icing sugar, and some unsweetened mascarpone if you wish.
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Deeba i am aslo in the stone age then, i don't have a pitter, every summer i want to buy them but then i say why should I, but i think this summer i must come out of the stonage period.
I love the book too, made pistachio biscotti from it and lots of other recipe i so so want to try too
Beautifum pics as always and love the dessert.
These are beautiful! I just made a clafouti with blackberries and did a post. It is such a yummy dessert. By the way, your cherry pit story is similar to my Key lime experience! I am going to buy the mini juicer…it was truly stone age to juice those little things by hand!
Great looking Calfoutis. I don't think it matters that it isn't totally authentic as long as it tasted delicious.
Well, I think I must find the courage and make my first clafoutis!
I'm reading about them since months, and your post definetly convinced me!
Beautiful dessert!
Absolutely beautiful. I have never made a calfoutis before. I must learn how to bake more.
Deeba these do look luscious and mouthwatering, indeed! I didn't know that this dish made with fruits other than cherries goes by a different name. But now I know thanks to you.
They look absolutely gorgeous! I love clafoutis. My MIL makes lots of clafoutis and freeze them for winter.
Count me among the backward – no cherry pitter yet! But the thought of making this clafoutis is enough to send me on a search for one (as well as for 'Ottolenghi' – it has become the Holy Grail of Cookbooks for me!) What a wonderful dessert and best of luck for the Bake Up Summer Sweets Contest!
A pitter a patter and yes my heart is all a flutter looking at these stunning, mouthwatering clafoutis! Gorgeous! And jealous me! No, not for the pitter (have one of course) but you always get the most gorgeous fruit months before we even begin thinking of it! Well these are definitely on my list.
This look so beautiful, and this is new to me, must try it out this soon.
You have an amazing blog! I loved your passion for baking and also your baked recipes
Cherries and cheers for this sweet post Deeba – love this clafoutis I need it for my birthday
What a great contest too!
Have a great day,
Gera
As usual amazing presentation and recipe.. clafautis looks amazing and wonderful dessert!!! Mmmmmmm yummy wonderful for the season…whenever I come to ur space, I experience spring here.
Lovely little clafoutis! I can't wait to buy cherries! A great giveaway.
Cheers,
Rosa
I love my cherry pitter, and now that I'm thinking about it, I can't wait for cherries to start appearing locally! Your clafoutis look delicious!
I don't have a pitter either, but you have convinced me to get one for sure this year. I think the pits have a light almond like flavor, and that would be a great flavor to the dessert, but pitting them in the mouth is a pain indeed. beautiful beautiful dessert and beautiful pictures Deeba. You rock.
hehe.. i have to confess, I don't have a pitter either.. the cherries rarely eever get to anything other than eating as is.. the hub hogs them!! LOL
Deebs, kamal kar diya- your posts are all very beautiful, but this is one of my faves- i love the photography and the little chandi ki dish. beautiful beautiful (did I say that already?). x shayma
I love how you see the beauty in everything even cherry pits and stems. Gorgeous and delicious as usual. Now I can't wait for cherry season here.
i do have a pitter and it's a high tech one hahaha! i have to because when cherry season comes around i have a great time baking and cooking with cherries. i love cherry clafoutis – this looks amazing!
I really should start cooking something from my Ottolenghi cookbook too! This is gorgeous!
I tried the following recipe last summer, and it was great: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/NECTARINE-AND-MASCARPONE-TART-IN-GINGERSNAP-CRUST-106868
Being an apartment dweller without central air conditioning, it takes dedication and insanity to bake during the summer. I love to bake, but I do not like to personally bake myself in the kitchen when it's scorching outside…but I still want dessert! The recipe I referenced still allows me to create a delicious dessert without mopping up my sweat in the kitchen.
Your clafoutis looks sensational Deeba! I've been craving cherries for ages now, I can't wait until I can go pick my own in summer – exciting!
GORGEOUS clafoutis Deeba! I don't have a cherry pitter either. Sigh. I should work on that!
What a beautiful clafoutis and gorgeous presentation!
Nisrine
are cherries reasonably priced in ggn? they are crazy expensive here so i dont end up buying enough to bake with. we just have it for dessert as is
Absolutely stunning! Now I want cherry season to come back asap!
Every time I come to your blog, I could just spend hours drooling over and admiring your photos of such yummy things! Love cherry desserts.
Gosh, I dont have a pitter either. Good thing I have a few months before cherry season. Thanks for letting me know that I needed one.
Never had a clafoutis and I think I'm missing out. Bookmarked and Stumbled!
Gosh, I dont have a pitter either. Good thing I have a few months before cherry season. Thanks for letting me know that I needed one.
Never had a clafoutis and I think I'm missing out. Bookmarked and Stumbled!
Creamy Lemon Crumb Squares
Ingredients
• 1-⅓ cup All-purpose Flour
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 stick (1/2 Cup) Butter, Slightly Softened
• 1 cup Brown Sugar (lightly Packed)
• 1 cup Oats
• 1 can (14 Ounce) Sweetened Condensed Milk
• ½ cups Lemon Juice
• Zest Of 1 Lemon
Preparation Instructions
PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES.
Mix butter and brown sugar until well combined.
Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.
Add oats and flour to butter/sugar mixture and mix to combine.
Press half of crumb mixture into the bottom of an 8 x 11 inch pan.
Mix together condensed milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Spread onto the bottom layer of the crumb mixture. Top with the other half of the crumb mixture, but don’t press.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Allow pan to sit on counter for 30 minutes after baking. Cut into squares and refrigerate for a couple of hours or until cool.
Serve cold
Wouldn't that mixer look lovely sitting on your counter Deeba. Good luck and happy eating:D
Just beautiful. I've got to put this on my list of things to make, but I too will need a cherry pitter.
Awesome job.
*kisses* HH
I got a cherry pitter as a present last year but haven't been able to use it since! Can't wait to try it either… Soooo much easier! And that cherry clafoutis is waiting to be made. Looks delicious!
Delightfully delicious bake again Deeba!!
Those individual clafoutis look amazing and sound just perfectly delicious with both plums and cherries!
These clafoutis look absolutely delicious. Love how these individual desserts have been presented .. lovely.
Oooh, these look gorgeous Deeba. Well done as usual. I had a cherry pitter, but it broke! And when I went looking, nobody seemed to make the simple one (like yours) anymore, they were all too fancy-schmancy with prices to match. So now I'm pitterless again.
I'm sure you didnt' need to hear my tale of woe then, but it was good to vent
Thanks for the contest info, sounds like fun!
Thanks for stopping by!
Your cherry clafoutis look wonderful. I make clafoutis with blueberries due to my allergy to cherries (imagine!!).
Truly a dream of a dessert, Deeba!
A cherry pitter? I don't have one! Didn't know there was such a thing. Where have I been all these years doing my own pitting and getting my hands and nails all stained??
I'm so glad you made the clafouti, Deeba! Ohhh, they turned out beautifully!!! I love the vanilla beans in your photos – so natural and beautiful.
Deeba, you truly are a passionate baker, seriously so glad to have stumbed upon your blog.
Deeba,
Such lovely clafoutis! Yours posts are always so gorgeous and thorough…I love them! Thanks for the info about the contest…my mixer is on its last legs so I should enter!
Cherry pitter!!! confession time: never heard or seen before. halfway thru the post, I googled cherry pitter just to know how it looks.. he he he…. I have bookmarked this too (am waiting for my two-day off to try.) As usual great pics n beautiful presentation
Oh you bloggers! I think I have to stop visiting blogs…coz now I have to make it my life's mission to find a cherry pitter. Me who needs to loose pounds and would have a better life if I ate the cherries directly instead of in a buttered dish. But since you say so, I now need to pit my cherries and bake the clafouti too!! Tsk Tsk. Lovely enticing pics. Regards Angela
Oh Deeba you have me drooling here!!
We must be operating on the same wave length this week- both of us craving cherries. I am completely enamored by this dessert and have to try it. How do I pronounce clafoutis? It also seems like I'm going to have to try and get my hands on the Ottolenghi cookbook. Looks amazing.
Your photographs are exquisite!
Deeba – a visual extravaganza! Love it. Cherry's are a gift from the gods. I haven't got a pitter either but I want one now.
These look gorgeous Deeba, I can definitely vouch for cherry pitters being a worthy addition to your kitchen clutter! I might not use mine that often but when I do it's a life saver.
Deeba
For all my previous baking i have never made a clafouti; I am tempted with this one yours is as always so picture perfect, i am drooling now!
I have never tried making clafoutis. I love that you did them in individual ramekins. Gorgeous.
What a wonderful recipe! I like how you make them into individual portion.
Your photos are always amazing, Deeba.
Oh Dee, your clafoutis looks wonderful. Makes me want to go and buy some cherries and make this, now!!
Oh Dee, your clafoutis looks wonderful. Makes me want to go and buy some cherries and make this, now!!
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Fabulous recipe and photos..now I know what I'll do with all those cherries I just bought.
Deebs, just wanna let u know clafouti made it to our anniversary dessert on 24th…
It was nice n wat made me most happy was li'l Beulah ate quite a spoonful 
Did stray a bit from ur recipe… added with the flour lightly crushed peanuts n almonds for a crunchy bite…Tx a tonne as usual for inspiring me to bake 
Deeba,
I made these yesterday and they came out well. I used canned cherries though. I am new to baking so kind of need step by step instructions. Your ingredients mentioned cream and butter, but there was no mention of it in the recipe. I mixed it with the batter, hope that was how it was supposed to be added.
Hi 'Working Mom', thank you for trying one of my most fave recipes. Apologies for the slip. Have amended it now. You did the right thing. Thank you!!