CHERRY CLAFOUTIS USING YOUR ELECTRICKIT AGA
Its cherry picking time and all around the road signs say ‘Cherries for Sale’
There is nothing more delicious than a red/black cherry that will greet your taste buds with its fruity sweetness, leaving you wanting for more. Before you know it, the whole punnet is gone!
Years ago, I was trying to impress my dinner guests with my expertise at cooking. I was a mere novice, but improving. I found a wonderful recipe for an Apple Clafoutis, and using my newly bought electric mixer; I served it up (having cooked it in my solid fuel Rayburn) and behold success!! No one more surprised than me…
Over the years, I lost the recipe and forgot how utterly delicious a Clafoutis can taste. It has a wonderful rich and sumptuous buttery-ness.
What is a Clafoutis? – it is a dessert consisting of a layer of fruit (such as cherries) topped with batter and baked – it is VERY EASY TO MAKE!
HERE IS A CHERRY CLAFOUTIS RECIPE– TRY IT AND SEE HOW MUCH YOU LOVE IT
This is what you will need:-
50g lightly salted butter
500g cherries, stalks removed, pitted
150g caster sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tbsp. Brandy
2 large free-range eggs, separated
135ml double cream, plus extra to serve
40g plain flour
15g ground almonds – Icing sugar for dusting
Cherry Clafoutis with icing sugar
Method – the Aga ElectricKit way
Turn your ElectricKit temperature to 180 degrees in your Roasting Oven .
Melt the butter in a 20cm (measured across the base) cast-iron frying pan or shallow flameproof baking dish, then add the pitted cherries, 100g of the caster sugar, the lemon zest and 2 tsp. Brandy. Leave to bubble away over a low heat, (turn your hob to no. 4) stirring gently and occasionally, for 15 minutes or until the cherries are just tender. Pour the buttery, syrupy juice into a small pan and set aside. Arrange the cherries evenly across the base of the pan you cooked them in, or a similar-size shallow baking dish.
To make the topping, whisk the egg yolks and remaining caster sugar together in a small mixing bowl for about 4 minutes until the mixture is thick and pale. Stir in the cream, then sift over the flour and gently stir in the ground almonds and the rest of the Brandy. Whisk the egg whites into soft peaks and gently fold them into the batter.
Pour the batter evenly over the cherries and bake on the top RUNNER of the oven for about 20 minutes until puffed up and golden brown. A skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean.
N.B. you may need to protect the base of your dish with the cold plain shelf placed beneath your bake on the runners – this will prevent any burning from the heat of the base. Insert your shelf about 10 minutes after cooking time
Gently reheat the cherry juice, and then pour it into a small jug. Remove the Clafoutis from the oven and dust well with icing sugar when cooled. Serve with the cherry juice poured over and some extra double cream on the side.
