I love all things Lucques and this little gem was inspired by Suzanne Goin’s Clafoutis in Sunday Suppers at Lucques. She did it with cranberries and walnuts and topped with bourbon whipped cream. I had dried cherries and pecans in the pantry so subbed them and I was out of heavy cream so added the bourbon directly to the batter for a little punch. More than a picture, I wish I could post what the house smelled like as they cooked and then cooled on the kitchen counter. I wanted to face plant into them.
When served hot they are crisp and airy. But you can let them cool to room temperature or chill and they are more custard like and delicious but in a different way. This one was a winner with the whole family. The extra bonus is that this is made entirely from pantry staples but seems super fancy. If you need to throw something together at the last minute, this is the dessert for you. If you want to skip the bourbon (but why would you?) you can just add two more tablespoons of milk. You can endlessly experiment with fresh or dried fruit and nut combinations. Have at it.
Cherry Bourbon Clafoutis with Pecans (adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques)
1 cup of whole milk
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter (extra for buttering the pan)
3 extra large eggs
1/2 cup of sugar (extra for sprinkling in the pan)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped dried cherries
Heat the milk and butter in small saucepan until warm and butter is melted. Make sure it is warm not hot. If it gets too hot, place the pan in a bowl of ice water and whisk until it is just warm.
Whisk the eggs together in a large bowl. Add the sugar, flour, and salt and whisk until smooth. Add the warm milk/butter combination and again whisk until smooth. Let the batter sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375.
Butter a 10-inch baking dish or 6 mini tart pans or ramekins (tart pans or ramekins should be big enough to accommodate 1/2 cup of batter). Sprinkle pan or ramekins with sugar. Pour in batter. Sprinkle dried cherries and pecans over the top of the batter. The cherries will sink to the bottom.
Bake 10-inch dish for 45-50 minutes and mini clafoutis for about 40 minutes until they are puffed up and golden brown. Serve at once for the airy effect or serve at room temperature for a more custard like dessert.