Photograph by Jo-ann Loro
Teddy Gopaloo, pastry chef at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel, shares his recipe for this rustic French dessert, a simple ending for a casual summer menu. You can substitute other fresh fruit, from berries to chopped peaches or apricots, in this traditional recipe. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients:
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• Seeds from half a vanilla bean
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup flour, all purpose
• 1/4 cup almond flour (finely ground almonds)
• 4 cups Okanagan cherries, pitted
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 6 scoops vanilla ice cream
Method:
Combine milk, 3/4 cup sugar, beaten eggs, seeds from the vanilla bean and kosher salt in a mixing bowl and beat gently until well combined.
Sift the flour with the almond flour and gently fold into the egg mixture until a smooth batter is created.
Heat your oven to 350°F, prepare an 8- to 10-inch round cake pan by buttering the inside and dusting with flour.
Pour 3/4 of the batter into the pan, and bake for about 8 minutes until the batter is set at the top.
Remove the pan from the oven and add the cherries to the top of the batter.
Sprinkle the cherries with the reserved sugar and drizzle the remaining batter on top. Return to the oven, reduce heat to 325°F and continue baking for another 45 to 60 minutes or until cooked through. Test by poking a wooden skewer into the batter. If the clafoutis is done, the skewer will come out clean of any batter.
Let cool slightly, dust with icing sugar and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Serves 6 to 8.