Cherry Clafoutis

It's Father's Day. My dad is very far away, but I made this dessert in honor of him. He loves cherries. So if we were closer together, this is what I would have made for him.

Clafoutis is a French dessert with an almost custard base accompanied by fruit, usually cherries. I made mine in a cast iron skillet, which is a favorite pan of mine.

Cherry Clafoutis
from smittenkitchen.com as adapted from ceresandbacchus.com

3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 cups of cherries, pitted and halved

Pre-heat the oven to 400 F. Beat the sugar and the eggs with a wire whisk until they turn lighter in color. Gradually add the butter, beating to incorporate. Add the flour all at once and whisk until the batter is a homogeneous mixture. Next slowly pour in the milk a little at a time. Add the almond extract, mixing well. The batter should be very smooth and shiny.

Place the cherries in a buttered glass or earthenware baking dish, cake pan (9 or 10 inches in diameter) or skillet that can go in the oven. Pour the batter over the fruit. Bake in the pre-heated oven, approximately 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. Leftovers are excellent for breakfast.