Clafoutis aux cerises (Classic French dessert with black cherries and flan batter)

It's summer time!!! And that means cherries are in season right now! Color me happy, because cherries are one of my absolute favorite fruits :)

For my first post of July, I decided to treat you guys (and myself at the same time!) with a delicious classic French dessert: Clafoutis aux cerises. It is a simple flan batter poured over juicy, plump black cherries and baked to golden custardy perfection.

Sounds good? It is! Try it and let me know how you liked it.



INGREDIENTS (for 4 people):
- about 1/2 lb of pitted fresh black cherries (my advice: invest in a cherry pitter. I did this with chopsticks and it was a bloody mess!)
Note: the traditional recipe calls for unpitted cherries, as they give an almond flavor to the cake. But I like my teeth, thank you very much, so pitted cherries it is!
- 1 tbsp AP flour
- 4 to 5 tbsp granulated sugar, depending on how sweet your cherries are
- 1 cup of milk
- 2 eggs
- a little bit of cold butter, for the pan


RECIPE:
- preheat your oven at 400F
- using a paper towel, thoroughly grease an 8" pan with the cold butter

Note: I used a 9" pan and it ended up being a little big for the amount of batter
- mix all the ingredients, except the cherries, until smooth like a very thin pancake batter

- place the cherries in the bottom of the pan and pour the batter on top of the fruits

- lower the oven to 300F and bake for 1 hour until golden at the corners

- enjoy lukewarm or cold with a nice glass of cold milk, or a steaming cup of black tea

Pink grapefruit curd

Today, I have a really fun and easy recipe for a delicious, sweet, tangy and slightly bitter pink grapefruit curd. It is delicious as a filling in a pie, or swirled in yoghurt with a few berries and raw almonds on top. This would also make a fantastic flavor in a vanilla ice cream base.

Here's how to make it!



INGREDIENTS:
- 1 large pink grapefruit
- 1/2 to 1 cup of granulated sugar (according to how sweet you like the curd to be, and how sweet your grapefruit is)
- 4 egg yolks, you can keep the whites for an another recipe like a chocolate mousse or macarons
- 1/2 to 3/4 stick of butter, cold


RECIPE:
- zest and juice the grapefruit

- mix the zest, sugar and yolks in a bowl, whisk in the grapefruit juice and stir until the sugar is dissolved

- cook over very low heat (even better in a double boiler) and stir continuously until the mixture starts to thicken a little, then add the butter cube by cube and stir until the butter is melted and blended in and the cream thickens. The perfect consistency will stick a wooden spoon held above the pot

- strain in a mesh to remove stringy zest (or don't if you like the texture; I like it very smooth) and refrigerate

Note: this curd will keep for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator
- enjoy whichever way you want! I like mine by the spoon(ladle)ful, right out of the jar!

Lemon-raspberry funfetti cupcakes

Those cupcakes are so cute and delicious!

The perfect fruity combination of tangy lemon and fresh raspberries, topped with a light cream cheese frosting and fun multicolored sprinkles make for the ultimate party cupcakes.

Making these cupcakes will make you and anyone who eats them a happy happy bunny!


INGREDIENTS (24 cupcakes)
for the cream cheese frosting
- 2 lbs confectioner sugar
- 2 x 8 oz packages of cream cheese
- 2 tbsp vanilla extract
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 stick of butter, softened at room temperature

for the cupcakes
- 2 1/4 cups of AP flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup butter, softened at room temperature
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- zest of two lemons
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- multicolored sprinkles


RECIPE:
start with the cupcake batter
- preheat your oven at 375F
- in the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment add the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar

- mix in the butter, sour cream, water and lemon juice

- add the two eggs one at a time until smooth, add the lemon zest and vanilla then gently fold in the fresh raspberries

- line a cupcake tray with paper liners and fill 2/3 up with batter

- bake at 375F for 20 minutes until soft and lightly springy to the touch

- let cool completely before frosting
prepare the frosting
- while the cupcakes are cooling down, cream the room temperature cream cheese with the butter, lemon juice and vanilla until blended

- add the confectioner sugar 1/4 cup at a time, until all mixed in and smooth

- fill a piping bag with the frosting (or a freezer bag of which you cut a corner), and gently frost each cupcake in the pattern you like

Note: to help with filling the frosting in the piping bag neatly, place the bag in a tall glass and spoon the frosting in
- top your frosted cupcakes with multicolored sprinkles and enjoy!!