Not a whiz with pie crust? Make a clafouti, dead simple and keeps the focus on the cherries rather than on the merits of your pie crust. You could mix it all up in the morning, put in the fridge, give it a whisk, then add the cherries before baking. You could even cook this in your barbecue. We like to add thyme for fragrance and flavour, but you could leave out. Adapted from Pies and Tarts by Martha Stewart.
| unsalted butter, for dish | |
| 2 | large eggs |
| 1 | large egg yolk |
| ⅓ c | flour |
| ¾ c | crème fraîche (use sour cream if don’t have) |
| ¾ c | milk (if using thyme, heat with 1 sprig thyme until just before simmer. Take off, strain and chill. This gives you thyme-scented milk) |
| ½ c | sugar, plus more for dish |
| 2 t | pure vanilla extract |
| ½ t | salt |
| 2 c | cherries, halved and pitted |
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-inch baking dish, 1 1/4 inches deep. Coat with granulated sugar, then tap out the excess. Whisk eggs, yolk and flour in a medium bowl. Whisk in crème fraîche milk, sugar, vanilla and salt. Refrigerate if not using right away. Arrange cherries in the dish. Strain the batter over cherries. Bake until browned on the edges and set in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool slightly. Serve warm.
Serves 6-8.