“There are many variations of this classic French country dessert, traditionally made with fresh cherries, whose texture is often described as a cross between custard and cake. I prefer Rainier cherries complemented with Grand Marnier and orange zest.”
–from The Crimson Spoon by WSU Executive chef Jamie Callison
For preparing the pan
1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
For the clafoutis
3 cups half-and-half
1 vanilla bean, split
5 eggs
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup flour
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier®
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
2½ cups pitted and halved Rainier cherries
Powdered sugar, for garnish
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and sugar a 3-quart baking dish, shaking out extra sugar.
Bring half-and-half and split vanilla bean to boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and remove vanilla bean. When cool enough to handle, scrape seeds into half-and-half.
Whisk together eggs, sugar, and flour in a bowl, Whisk one-third of the half-and-half into egg mixture. Once incorporated, whisk this mixture back into the remaining half-and-half in the saucepan. Cook over low to medium heat, whisking until it is thickened to a pudding-like consistency. Remove from heat and stir in Grand Marnier and orange zest.
Pour into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with cherries, slightly pushing them into custard. Bake until custard is set, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature or refrigerate until chilled.
To serve, sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into 8 pieces.
Yield: 8 servings
Note: For a lighter version, whole milk can be substituted for the half-and-half. One and a quarter cup dried cherries soaked for two hours in just enough Grand Marnier can be substituted for fresh cherries. Drain cherries, reserving 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier for the custard, then proceed with the rest of the recipe.
Read more about Rainier cherries
You can purchase Jamie Callison’s cookbook The Crimson Spoon: Plating Regional Cuisine from the Palouse from WSU Press