Perfect pud: Cherry clafoutis with kirsch compote

Cake recipes

Try this speciality of the Limousin region.

If you’re lucky enough to have a cherry tree, a clafoutis will be a regular treat. There is debate in France as to whether the stones should be left in for flavour, but I prefer it without.

**Cherry clafoutis with kirsch compote**

Serves 6

Ingredients

For the clafoutis

20g unsalted butter
2tbspn caster sugar
200ml whole milk
50ml double cream
Half a vanilla pod
3 large eggs
75g plain flour
45g caster sugar
500g stoned cherries

For the kirsch compote

300g stoned cherries
30g caster sugar
1tbspn kirsch
Quarter of a teaspoon almond essence

Method
Preheat your oven to 180˚C/350˚F/gas mark 4. Prepare a 25cm (about 10in) deep-sided dish by greasing it with the unsalted butter and sprinkling with caster sugar.

In a saucepan, bring the milk and cream, with the vanilla pod, to scalding point. Leave to infuse.

Whisk together the eggs, flour and sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Pour in the cooled vanilla cream (having removed the vanilla pod), then whisk again to combine. Leave to rest for about half an hour.

Over a medium heat, cook the cherries for the compote and the caster sugar for about 10 minutes or until the cherries are juicy and losing their shape. Stir in the kirsch and almond essence, then set aside until ready to serve.

Arrange the cherries for the clafoutis evenly around the dish, pour the rested batter gently in around them and bake for about 45–50 minutes or until lightly browned and puffed up. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm with the kirsch compote and a drizzle of cream.

More ways with cherries

Chocolate-and-cherry microwaveable mug cake

In a small bowl, whisk together with a fork 2tbspn of self-raising flour, 1tbspn of cocoa powder, 2tbspn of vegetable oil, 1tbspn of Nutella and 2tbspn of caster sugar. Put 4 chopped and stoned cherries in the bottom of a mug, pour in the chocolate batter and microwave at 1000w for about 50–70 seconds. The cake should be cooked on top, but gooey in the centre. Top with a few cherries and a dusting of icing sugar and serve!

Cherry strudel

Brush 6 slices of filo pastry with melted butter, sprinkle with a little caster sugar and layer them one on top of the other. De-stone and halve a couple of handfuls of cherries and arrange them around the pastry. Sprinkle with a couple of tablespoons each of caster sugar, ground almonds and chopped and roasted hazelnuts. Roll the pastry up to create a long rectangle. Brush the outside with melted butter, sprinkle with sugar and flaked almonds and bake in a moderately hot oven for about 25–30 minutes or until lightly golden. Serve warm with whipped cream.

Cherry rocky-road parfait

Line a small loaf tin with clingfilm. Allow good-quality vanilla ice cream to melt so that it’s soft, but not liquid, then stir in a handful of stoned cherries, a smaller handful of chopped marshmallows and a few tablespoons each of chopped pistachios and macadamia nuts. Pour into the tin and freeze until set. Remove from the tin using the clingfilm and cut into slices. Serve with shortbread biscuits.