Cherry Clafoutis

Anyone who watches Masterchef would have come across this dish,I have seen quite a few contestants creating Cherry Clafoutis.....recent one being Fillipo and I remember the judges saying that it tasted like sweet cherry omelette.....well that is exactly what I ended up with in my first attempt of making Cherry Clafoutis....I did not enjoy it and was wondering whats so great about this dish with a fancy French name and I was also very glad that I was smart enough to have halved the recipe....I was so surprised that my granny enjoyed it...in fact she was asking if there was more...then I thought....maybe its just my palette that is so used to having chocolate....and maybe this dish failed to hit the right chord for me....so I decided to give it a try again...this time I made few changes ....increased the level of sweetness and baked for lesser time(coz I definitely did not want to end up with cherry omlette).....my mom,dad,daughter, granny and my maid enjoyed Cherry Clafoutis......but I did not ........damn those chocolates. 

So I think maybe its just me....coz Cherry Clafoutis is famous French breakfast dish...so Iam assuming there must be something really unique about it....but its just not for me I guess.....maybe it is for you...you like it ...great......if you don't .....please do not grill me :)

Recipe source:Joy of baking
Ingredients
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for batter

• 1/2 cup All purpose flour (65grams)
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 2 large Eggs
• 5 tbsp Sugar 
• 3/4 ml Milk (180ml)
• 1 tbsp Melted butter
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract

For Cherries

• 350gram Fresh cherries ,pitted
• 1 tbsp unsalted Butter
• 2 tbsp Sugar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 210 degree C.Keep a 9 inch oven proof dish or in my case 4 ramekins ready.
2. In a food processor (or use electric beater or hand whisk) add flour,eggs,salt,sugar,milk,butter and vanilla extract.Process for a minute till you get a smooth batter.Let it rest for few minutes while you prepare the cherries.
3. In a saucepan melt butter, add cherries to the bubbling butter and cook till the cherries have softened and are coated with butter.Now sprinkle sugar and cook till sugar dissolves and turns into syrup.Pour the cherries into the baking dish or ramekins.Pour the prepared batter over the cherries.Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until just set and the clafoutis is puffed.( my clafoutis took 14 minutes to bake completely)
4. Do not open the door until the end of baking time there are chances the clafoutis will collapse.
5. Dust some icing sugar on top and serve immediately.

black forest gateau

Recently I came across a blog called Passionate about baking by Deeba, she is like the mother of baking . She had this black forest gateau recipe which I had bookmarked and my mom was pestering me to do something about the canned cherries and pineapple in the pantry.Then I decided to try out the black forest gateau and it was my Hubbys birthday too.(with the canned pineapple I shall try out pineapple upside down cake,if its any good I will post it,if it isn't then you will never hear of it)

First of all I am not a big fan of cakes with more than 2 eggs,I just hate that eggy smell,I won't even touch a cake if I get a slight whiff of egg,and imagine me baking a cake with 6 eggs.But I took it as a challenge,to be extra careful I put little more than a teaspoon of vanilla or should I say lot more than a teaspoon. I have to confess that I was effected psychologically,I felt like the whole  kitchen was smelling like an egg ,this continued even after I finished baking.But the end result was satisfying,not bad for the first time,not as good as bakery cake, but good enough:)

The original cake from the blog passionate about baking has four layers,but trust me if you are an amateur like me then plz stick to two layers,or you will end up with a mess and then don't blame me.

Ingredients

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For sponge

6 eggs (300grms)does not have to be exact

150 grms powdered sugar

125grms Flour

3 tbsp cocoa

2 tbsp cornflour

salt pinch

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla essence

Filling and topping

500 ml whipping cream

5 tbsp icing sugar

1 tin canned cherries(pitted and chopped ,reserve few cherries for decoration)

1 cup syrup (from canned cherries)

Juice of 1 lime

chocolate shavings for decoration

Method
For sponge
1. Pre heat the oven at 180 degree C .
2. Grease a 9inch cake tin,I have used spring form tin.Keep this aside.
3. Sift flour,baking powder,salt and cornflour three times and keep aside till further use.
4.Beat eggs and sugar with an electric beater.

5. Beat till it turns pale yellow in color and thick ribbon falls and holds in place for few seconds(I beat for little more that 10 to 12 minutes).

6. Add vanilla essence and beat again for few minutes.
7.Now mix in the flour mixture,fold gently to avoid the air from escaping.
8.Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake for 30 minutes or till done.
9.Remove from the oven and let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
10. Cut the cake horizontally into desired layers.

Filling

1. Mix cornflour with 1 tbsp cherry syrup, bring half cup cherry syrup to boil.Add the cornflour mix and boil till the syrup thickens.Take off the flame and add lime juice and let the syrup cool.
2. Whip the cream with icing sugar  till soft peaks form. 

How to assemble

1. Place bottom layer of the cake on a serving dish or cake tray,soak the cake with 1/2 of the cherry syrup.Spread half of the whipped cream on the cake and sprinkle the chopped cherries evenly over the whipped cream.
2. Place the top layer of the cake over the cherries and soak with the remaining syrup.
3. Spread the remaining whipped cream over the cake.Apply the chocolate shavings around the sides of the cake .Place the cherries on top of the cake to decorate.