Mini Cherry Clafouti

I made some cherry jam the other day and had some cherries leftover. I found a recipe on Epicurious.com for cherry clafouti, something I've always wanted to try. I decided to pare down the recipe and make a couple of mini clafoutis. The cherries look mamouth in the photo, but they were normal-sized cherries. In retrospect, it might have been a good idea to cut them up to fit the mini baking dish a little better. Either way, though, it was delicious. Next time I'll make a regular sized edition of this recipe. Maybe it won't look so much like a prop in Gulliver's Travels...

Bing Cherry Clafouti
Gourmet | May 1993
(Baked Sweet Cherry Pudding)
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Yield: Serves 2

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup Bing cherries, halved and pitted
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into bits
vanilla ice cream as an accompaniment if desired

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a blender blend together 1/3 cup of the sugar, the flour, the eggs, the milk, the vanilla, the zest, the almond extract, and the salt until the custard is just smooth. Arrange the cherries in one layer in a buttered 3-cup gratin dish or flameproof shallow baking dish, pour the custard over them, and bake the clafouti in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top is puffed and springy to the touch.

Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, dot it with the butter, and broil the clafouti under a preheated broiler about 3 inches from the heat for 1 minute, or until it is browned. Serve the clafouti with the ice cream. (I didn't do this part - just sprinkled the top with a little confectioners' sugar.)

Source: Epicurious.com