Clafoutis aux Cerises

This elegant French custard cake studded with cherries is the ultimate excuse to linger over breakfast—it's halfway between a pancake and a flan, baked until golden and impossibly soft, and feels far more impressive than it actually is.

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 100g plain flour
• 75g caster sugar
• 250ml whole milk
• 1 tbsp kirsch or brandy (optional)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 400g fresh cherries, pitted (or canned, drained)
• Butter for the tin
• Icing sugar for dusting

Method:

1. Heat your oven to 200°C and butter a shallow baking dish generously.
2. Whisk eggs and sugar together until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
3. Sift in flour and salt, then whisk in milk, kirsch if using, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Pour half the batter into your dish, scatter cherries over it, then pour the remaining batter on top.
5. Bake for 25–30 minutes until puffed, golden, and the centre just wobbles slightly.
6. Dust generously with icing sugar and serve warm with crème fraîche or Greek yoghurt.

Chef's tip: Don't panic when your clafoutis deflates slightly as it cools—that's completely normal and makes it even more tender. The real magic is eating it just warm enough to still taste custardy in the centre.