Who doesn’t like cherry season? They seem to have been in great abundance this year. My local supermarket ( small like a 7-11) has been selling them for £5 a kilo box! I nip across the road and buy 2 kilos, one which we eat and one he de- pips and I freeze and today it is Hot Hot Hot ( about 95 Fahrenheit). And we live in LONDON! Thank goodness the bedroom has A/C. So I am going to make Ice Cream! ( I hasten to add Not making it in the bedroom!)
This is going to be a play on Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia, but I can’t call it that as it is Trade Marked, so mine is going to be called “Chocolate Cherry Delight !
I used the following:-
2 Kit Kat chopped into smallish chunks, or 2 chocolate flakes
1/4 Cup ripe cherries cut into 1/4’s ( can use tinned cherries but discard the juice)
2 large eggs
2/3 cup of caster sugar
2 Cups ( 470 mls) heavy/ double/ whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
Refrigerate the cherries and the chocolate, so that they are really cold.
In a food processor put the eggs, sugar, milk and cream. Whisk for about a minute to thoroughly mix.
Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker ( or plastic box if you are prepared to stir the mixture from time to time)
When the mixture begins thicken , stir in the cold chocolate bits and the cherries. The ice cream might need stirring again from time to time, to ensure that the extra ingredients do not just sink to the bottom.
When frozen, the ice cream can of course just be served as ice cream, but here is a chance to be more adventurous. How about a Knickerbocker Glory ( yes that it is what it is called) or something a little more simple, an Ice Cream Sundae. Using bought sauces is absolutely fine , just be your creative self! And of course any available summer fruit can be used as well.
Moving on from Ice Cream ( himself once had the nickname of Ice Cream Mouse), but in any case he does like desserts. I almost never eat desserts but am more than happy to make some for him! However, making dessert for one is difficult so, I usually portion them, wrap them in cling film and freeze, so that he can have whenever he wants. This is particularly true of crumble, with rhubarb being the favourite. However this time around we have cherries and Clafoutis springs to mind.
Clafoutis is a classic French dessert made by baking fruit—traditionally whole cherries—in a light batter that’s somewhere between a custard and a pancake. The result is tender, lightly sweet, and creamy, with a golden top
Traditionally it is made with fresh cherries, eggs, cream,milk , flour and sugar.Some recipes include cream cheese whilst others add potato flour. In fact Google recipes for Clafoutis and there are many variations on a theme.
Other fruits such as plums, apricots, pears, or berries can be used, although technically those versions are often called flaugnarde rather than clafoutis.
It’s typically served warm or at room temperature, dusted with powdered sugar or icing sugar.
I tend to use a recipe from my once upon a time Au Pair, which her parents sent to me whilst we lived in Texas, ( they were Belgians) or I use a mishmash of recipes, as that one doesn’t include cream cheese, which I like to add.
For a dish 17×25 cms ( approximately) you will need:-
- About 500 grams stoned cherries ( other fruits are allowed)
- 2/3 cup/ 125 grams caster sugar
- 70 grams softened unsalted butter
- 100 grams full fat cream cheese
- 1/3 cup / 80 mls double cream
- 3large eggs, beaten
- 4 heaped tablespoons of flour ( if using plain add a teaspoon of baking powder)
- 2 tablespoons of Kirsch ( optional, but why ?)
- Grated zest of a lemon
In a food processor or or with an electric whisk, blend the butter with the cream cheese and the cream. Add the eggs, sugar, flour, kirsch and grated rind.
Butter your baking dish, put in just half of the mixture, add the cherries ( or other fruits) across the the batter, pour on the remainder of the batter.
Bake at 400 F/205C /180 Fan for about 30 mins, the custard should be just set bd lightly golden. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes, it is best served tepid. At this point I will portion it and freeze, to be defrosted and maybe heated just a tad in the microwave before eating. However, it has been known to that himself likes frozen crumble. So who knows !
Bon Appetite everyone !
oystersandchampagne 