I think this recipe has a lot of potential. While I love fresh cherries, I've decided I don't love them baked, so next time I will try another fruit.
The clafoutis (pronounced kla-foo-tee) is like a big, thick crepe with fruit baked inside. It's not an overly sweet dessert. While traditionally made with cherries, pits intact, it can be made with just about any fresh fruit: apricots, plums, berries--or so I've read.
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. almond extract or vanilla
2 cups cherries, or other fresh fruit
Pre-heat the oven to 400 F. Beat the sugar and the eggs with a mixer (whisk attachment) until they are light yellow. Slowly add the butter while continuing to beat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Add vanilla, then slowly pour in the milk while beating to incorporate. The batter should be very smooth and shiny.
Place the fruit in a buttered glass baking dish, (9 or 10 inches in diameter). Pour the batter over the fruit. Bake in the pre-heated oven 30-40 minutes until slightly browned and almost completely set in the middle. Let sit at least 15 minutes before turning out onto a plate and serving. Serve warm or at room temperature. Dust with powdered sugar, or serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if desired.
Leftovers are great for breakfast, because we all love having dessert for breakfast.