CHERRY AND ALMOND CLAFOUTIS

Preparation time 15 mins Cooking time 25 mins Serves 6

400g cherries, pitted, plus extra

whole cherries to garnish 80g caster sugar

4 free-range eggs

200ml thickened cream 200ml milk

90g plain flour

1 knife tip of bitter almond essence or vanilla essence

Icing sugar mixture,

to dust

Pouring cream, ice-cream

or crème fraîche, to serve

STEP 1 Preheat oven to 200°C fanforced (220°C conventional). Toss pitted cherries in 20g of the sugar, then pile into a 30cm ovenproof dish.

STEP 2 Crack eggs into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat with whisk attachment to fluff. Add cream, milk, flour, essence and remaining sugar then whisk again until smooth. Pour into dish around cherries.

STEP 3 Bake for 25 minutes or until golden and cooked. Allow to sit for 1 minute.

STEP 4 Garnish with extra cherries and dust with icing sugar. Serve with cream, ice-cream or crème fraîche.

Cherry and almond clafoutis

This dessert is light, easy and has serious wow factor at the table for this time of year. And the hint of almond essence is perfect with cherries.

From the French word ‘clafir’, to fill, meaning this decadent dessert is as easy as baking cherries in batter