Clafoutis (pronounced kla fou TEE) is a rustic dessert, traditionally made with black cherries, eggs, milk, sugar, and flour. Clafoutis is French, but don't be intimidated. It's simple and rustic, but can be very elegant. I've made it for a dinner party and also when camping! The batter puffs up around the fruit and the edges get browned and a little crusty; it's delicious. It rises and puffs up as it bakes; much like a Dutch Baby, if you are familiar with that. The taste is a bit like a custard but it isn't as creamy. Clafoutis, served warm with a dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzle of heavy cream is one of my very favorite desserts... and once you taste it, you'll add it into your regular dessert rotation. Serve it in the skillet for an impressive presentation. If you don't have a cast iron skillet, you can also bake this dessert in a buttered baking dish but youneed to watch it carefully if you do because the timing may be different.

You can also make Clafoutis with different fruit. I like it with pears or apples, too.

DARK CHERRY CLAFOUTIS

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon vanilla

6 eggs

6 tablespoons sugar

1 ¼ cup milk

Pinch salt

¾ cups of all-purpose flour

3 cups pitted cherries (don't get the canned cherries in heavy syrup. Use the 24.7 ozbottle of Dark Morello Cherries in light syrup, if you can find them. Drain them well. Or you can use fresh*)

Confectioners sugar (powdered sugar) for dusting

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a large cast iron skillet or baking dish.

Combine vanilla, eggs, sugar, milk, and salt in a food processor or blender. Blend for a few seconds until combined and then add the flour and blend until smooth, about 1 minute. (if you don't have a blender, you can just whisk until well combined, the sugar is dissolved, and batter is smooth. Whip it really well.)

Pour the batter into the prepared skillet. Cover the top evenly with the well-drained cherries. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is golden brown. Don't be tempted to open the oven during baking or the Clafoutis may fall. Serve warm. Dust the top with powdered sugar or serve with a drizzle of heavy cream.

NOTE: When using fresh fruit, put the butter in the skillet and let it melt. Once it has, add about a pound of fresh, pitted Bing cherries to the butter and let them cook to soften for about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and stir until the juice thickens into a syrup. Pour the batter over the fruit and bake as directed above.

I frequently make homemade pie crust and my Rustic Apple Tart is always a hit. But what if you don't have the 1 hour you need to let the pie crust chill? Well, you can make a beautiful and utterly fabulous bake shop worthy apple tart in minutes! Top it with ice cream and - well- it is just hard to beat. I recently made this recipe during my demo at the Fabulous Food Show in Cleveland, Ohio and have had a ton of requests for the recipe--so here you go!

QUICK APPLE TART WITH PUFF PASTRY CRUST

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup granulated sugar

pinch of allspice

pinch of kosher salt

pinch of ground black pepper

2 large apples, cored, peeled and sliced thin with a mandolin(Braeburn work well)

1 lemon, juiced

1 sheet of packaged puff pastry, thawed to package direction

2-3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1/2 cup Confectioners sugar (maybe a bit more depending on the size of the tart)

DIRECTIONS:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to the temperature recommended by the manufacturer for the puff pastry, usually 400F.

Mix the granulated sugar, allspice, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Set aside.

Pell and slice the apples and squeeze the lemon juice over them to stop any browning.

Dust your work surface with a bit of the flour and rolling pin. Lightly roll out the puff pastry and then use a dinner plate as a template to cut it into a circle. (you can make a square but the round is prettier- square more rustic) Place onto the prepared baking sheet.

Dock (prick holes in it) the puff pastry with a fork to prevent it from puffing up too much during the cooking process.

Place the apple slices on a paper towel to blot off excess moisture before you begin to arrange them on the puff pastry. Arrange the apples in a circle; start on the outside and work towards the inside, slightly overlapping as you go. Use a pastry brush to cover the entire surface of the apples with the softened butter. Cover that with the sugar mixture.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and apples are tender.

Remove and immediately dust the top of the apples with the Confectioners sugar using a fine mesh sieve. Use a torch to caramelize the sugar or put under the broiler for 1-2 minutes. Serve with a scoop of Dulce de Leche or caramel ice cream.

FIND MORE PUFF PASTRY RECIPES!