A few years ago, a friend came to my house on my birthday and made me a cherry clafoutis. I didn't know what it was. I didn't care. It came out of the oven warm and golden, and we ate it together at the kitchen table, and I haven't stopped thinking about it since. That's the kind of thing food does when it's made with someone in mind.
When cherry season comes around, this is the recipe I reach for. I've taken a small twist on the original — I add sourdough starter discard, and it changes the texture in a way I really like. More rustic with my regular starter, smoother with a fresh white one. I'll explain below so you can find what suits you. If you don't have a starter yet, I've included instructions without one — or you can pick one up at the market or in the shop.
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup sourdough starter discard (100% hydration, unfed) — see note below
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups pitted cherries — fresh is better than frozen
Directions for the chef
Heat the oven to 350°F. Place the butter in a 9-inch cast iron skillet and melt it on the stovetop. Tilt the pan to coat the sides. Pour the excess butter into a small bowl and set aside to cool.
Whisk together the starter, eggs, cream, sugar, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon until very smooth. Slowly whisk in the cooled butter.
Pour one-third of the batter into the skillet and warm on low until slightly set. Scatter the cherries in, then pour the remaining batter over the top.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until puffed and beginning to turn golden at the edges. Let cool at least 15 minutes before dusting with powdered sugar. It will deflate a little. That's exactly right.
Slice into wedges and serve. Serves 4 to 6.
A note on the starter: My starter is half whole wheat, half white flour, which gives a more rustic result. For a smoother custard, I made a small fresh starter — half white flour, half water, and a big spoonful of my regular starter — and used that instead. Experiment and find what you like. That's part of the joy.
Without a starter: Substitute 1 cup of flour for the starter and increase the heavy cream to 1¼ cups.