Clafoutis Monique

This classic French baked dessert is packed full of cherries, but you could use whichever fruit is in season.

Serves 6 Prep 15 minutes Bake 25 – 30 minutes

Ingredients

• Large knob of unsalted butter for greasing

• 75g plain flour

• 75g caster sugar

• 300ml full-fat milk

• 2 medium eggs, separated

• 2 tbsp Kirsch

• 400g ripe black cherries, pitted

• Icing sugar for dusting

Method

1. Heat your oven to 190°C. Generously butter a 25cm round baking dish.

2. Mix the flour and sugar together in a large bowl. Combine the milk and egg yolks in another bowl, then gradually whisk into the flour to make a smooth batter. Add the Kirsch.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff, then lightly fold them into the batter.

4. Warm the buttered dish in a warming oven or briefly in the heated oven. Take out the dish and pour in a little of the batter, then add the cherries, arranging them evenly around the dish. Pour on the rest of the batter, then immediately bake for 25 – 30 minutes until the clafoutis is puffed up and set.

5. Leave to cool a little, then serve sprinkled with icing sugar. A generous dollop of crème fraîche mixed with a little sugar and Kirsch is the perfect complement. This clafoutis is also very good cold the next day.

Taken from Paul Hollywood’s How To Bake, published by Bloomsbury

Photograph © Peter Cassidy