Brandied Cherry Clafouti Food

BRANDIED CHERRY CLAFOUTI

Steps:

• Mix cherries, brandy, and 1/3 cup white sugar in a bowl; let soak for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Spray a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.
• Remove cherries from brandy mixture using a slotted spoon and transfer to the prepared pie pan. Pour brandy mixture into a blender; add remaining 1/3 cup sugar, milk, flour, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt, and allspice to the blender. Pulse mixture until batter is smooth; pour over cherries.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue baking until golden and puffy, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool slightly and dust with confectioners' sugar to serve.

CHERRY CLAFOUTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 12-inch round baking dish or pie plate.
• Combine the egg yolks and 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar in a large bowl. Using a handheld mixer, beat on medium-high speed until ribbons form when you lift the beater just slightly out of the batter, about 8 minutes. Add the heavy cream, flour and vanilla extract. Reduce the speed to low and beat until thoroughly blended, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Put the prepared baking dish on a baking sheet and slide into the oven to preheat for 4 to 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the egg whites and salt in a small bowl for about 30 seconds. Add to the batter and beat with the mixer on low speed until just incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Combine the cherries, lemon zest and remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar in a medium bowl and stir until the cherries are thoroughly coated. If using frozen cherries, mix in 1 tablespoon of flour.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven, pour the cherry mixture into the baking dish and top with the batter. Bake until set in the middle, 30 to 35 minutes. Serve warm with confectioners' sugar and a small dollop of whipped cream.

CHERRY BRANDY OLD-FASHIONED

Steps:

• Muddle 8 thawed frozen cherries, 8 dashes each angostura and orange bitters, the juice of 1 orange and 3 tablespoons sugar in a liquid measuring cup. Add 1 cup brandy. Divide among 4 ice-filled glasses; stir and garnish with orange twists.

CHERRY CLAFOUTIS

Steps:

• Gently mix together the cherries, sugar and kirsch and leave to macerate for two hours. (The sugar will slowly permeate the cherries and intensify their flavour.)
• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease a baking dish with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Shake the sugar around the dish so that it is evenly coated, then tip out any excess.
• For the batter, heat the butter in a small pan until it turns a pale hazelnut colour - this is called a beurre noisette. Do not allow the butter to burn or it will become bitter and carcinogenic. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside in a warm place.
• In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar and vanilla until creamy.
• Add the flour, whisk until smooth, then slowly incorporate the milk, cream, salt and beurre noisette.
• Mix the macerated cherries and their juice into the batter and pour into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is slightly domed and the blade of a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• To finish, sprinkle with caster sugar and serve warm.

FRESH CHERRY CLAFOUTI

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 400°F.
• Coat 10-inch Clafouti Dish with food spray.
• Place cherries in a bowl with 3-tablespoons Brandy, lemon zest and toss cherries. Cover with plastic and chill for 1 hour. Drain cherries reserving excess cherry juice.
• Use a mixer with a paddle, combine eggs, butter, brown sugar and remaining brandy. Beat until smooth; about 2-3 minutes.
• Add heavy cream, 2 tablespoons cherry juice, vanilla extract and beat until batter is smooth. Remove paddle from mixer and fold in flour by hand, stir until batter is smooth.
• Place cherries into Clafouti Dish and cover with batter.
• Place dish on a sheet pan, reduce oven to 375 F and bake for 10- minutes. Remove from oven and pour remaining cherry juice over Clafouti.
• Reduce oven to 350 F and bake for about 35-minutes.
• Insert a knife into center to insure Clafouti is baked. Cool for 20-minutes before serving.
• Garnish Cherry Clafouti with confectioners' sugar and warm Fresh Cherry Sauce.

CHERRY-ALMOND CLAFOUTI

Steps:

• Preheat over to 375°F.
• Butter four 1-cup capacity ramekins, or custard cups.
• In a small bowl, toss the cherries with 2 tbsp of the sugar, then divide evenly among the ramekins (or custard cups) In a food processor, combine the almonds, the remaining sugar, the flour, salt, eggs, egg yolk, milk, and almond extract.
• Process about 30 seconds,or until the almonds are ground and the mixture forms a smooth batter Pour the batter over the cherries, dividing equally.
• Top each serving with 1 tsp cognac, or brandy, and bake 35 minutes, or until puffed and brown.
• Let cool until warm (they will sink slightly).
• Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and garnish with toasted almonds, if desired.
• Serve warm.
• NOTE: To make one large dish of clafouti instead of individual servings, pour the batter into a buttered 2-quart baking dish and cook 45 minutes.
• Serve by spooning clafouti into individual dessert dishes.