This is Chef Dominique Crenn’s Favorite Cherry Dessert

Three-time Michelin Star winner, Chef Dominique Crenn, is known for her French roots and the magical touch she has with California’s freshest seasonal produce at her San Francisco-based restaurant. Her recipe for the classic French dessert, cherry clafoutis, makes the most of fresh cherries when they’re in season. Here, bursts of sweet-tart cherries are interspersed in an eggy, airy, crepe-like batter that is served with just a dusting of sugar.

Bing Cherry Clafoutis 

Ingredients:

Yield: three 5-inch (13-cm) clafoutis

• 1/2 cup (2 oz./55 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (1 1/2 oz./50 g) all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup (8 oz./230 g) crème fraîche
• Seeds from 1 vanilla bean
• 3 1/2 Tbs. heavy cream
• 1 Tbs. kirsch (cherry brandy)
• Unsalted butter, at room temperature, for greasing
• 3 Tbs. cherry jam or preserves
• 2 cups Bing cherries, pitted and halved
• Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
• Ice cream for serving

Directions:

To make the batter, in a bowl, combine the sugar and flour and whisk to combine. Set aside.

In a blender, combine the eggs, crème fraîche, vanilla bean seeds, cream and kirsch and blend on low speed until smooth. With the blender running, add the sugar-flour mixture and continue blending until combined. Pour the batter through a sieve into a clean bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat a standard oven to 400°F (200°C), or a convection oven to 375°F (190°C).

Using a brush, lightly butter three 5-inch (13-cm) pie dishes.

Spread a third of the cherry jam on the bottom of each pie dish. Arrange about 12 cherry halves in each of the pie dishes.

Stir the batter and pour a third into each pie dish, or until just under the rim of the dish. Arrange the remaining cherries on top of the batter in each pie dish.

Carefully transfer the clafoutis to the oven and bake until the batter is puffed and set and the clafoutis appear matte on the outer edges, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the pans about halfway through so that they bake evenly.

Remove the clafoutis from the oven. Set your oven to broil on high.

Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust confectioners’ sugar over the top of each clafoutis. Place under the broiler, watching carefully, until the sugar is brown and caramelized, about 1 minute.

Dust the clafoutis with more confectioners’ sugar and serve warm with your favorite ice cream.