Paul Cézanne’s Still Life with Plate of Cherries (1885-87) took over two years to complete and with just a cursory glance, one can notice that the scene is not quite right however it takes a hard look to spot the incongruities. The back edge of the table doesn’t line up and the perspective of the side-by-side plates is different. It complicates the viewer’s entrance into the space and places all of the importance on the fruit subjects. The white plates seem to frame the fruit and draw the viewer’s eye immediately to the centre of the canvas. Cézanne often painted objects from the earth and homemade works (pots, bottles, and floral fabrics) from his home in Provenance (1). Like the way Cézanne highlights the fresh fruit in his painting, the cherries and nectarines are the focal point of the clafoutis inspired by the painting.
Clafoutis is always made with cherries and when substitutions are made for other berries it is commonly called flognarde. Even though I have added nectarines to my clafoutis I kept the cherries to keep it true to form. It is a custard-like dish made by baking fresh fruit in a batter in a baking dish. The batter is similar to that of pancakes and to keep the dish completely traditional the cherries not to be de-pitted because it causes them to lose flavour . “Originally from Limousin, the dish’s name comes from Occitan clafotis, from the verb clafir, meaning “to fill up” (implied: “the batter with cherries”) (2).
Cherry & Nectarine Clafoutis
serves 6
1 teaspoon butter
500 grams cherries
2-3 nectarines, halved, pitted and cut into wedges
3/4 cup double (thick/heavy) cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1/4 cup caster sugar
2/3 cup plain flour
icing sugar
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Use butter to grease a 23 cm (9 inch) round baking dish and put the nectarine wedges and cherries in a single layer on the bottom. Put the cream in a small saucepan and add the vanilla essence. Gently heat for a few minutes and remove from the heat, add the milk and cool.
Whisk the eggs with the sugar and flour, then stir into the cream. Pour into the greased round baking dish over the fruit and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden on the top. Dust with icing sugar and serve.
Substitutions: you could substitute the vanilla extract with one vanilla pod or almond extract to give your clafoutis a different flavour.
12 comments
Passionate About Baking says:
Apr 6, 2009
Hard to believe that this is your first post, it’s gorgeous & perfect in every way. The setting, the concept & the clafoutis…STUNNING! Your blog is beautiful Megan.
Cheers Deeba
Siri says:
Apr 6, 2009
What a gorgeous (and may I say, clever) site you have! I’ve never made clafoutis before, but I love the combo of cherry and nectarine and just might make this come nectarine season!
Thanks for sharing, I’ll be sure to check back in!
-Siri
tres jolie says:
Apr 6, 2009
Thank you both so so much for your kind comments. It is really encouraging to get such wonderful comments!
ana dane says:
Apr 7, 2009
you have a gorgeous, lush blog- and in such a few posts. keep up the good work!
this is making me want to unearth those sour cherries i froze last july…i think a clafouti is exactly where they would love to end up.
Julie says:
Apr 7, 2009
I love the whole idea for this blog and look forward to following your adventures in cooking and photography!
Sam says:
Apr 8, 2009
I love this piece.
michaela says:
Apr 8, 2009
what a brilliant way to combine your interests. i admire your creativity.
flintstone says:
Apr 8, 2009
i will be checking back often…very creative.
Lorraine @NotQuiteNigella says:
May 16, 2009
Love the idea of nectarines with cherries in a clafoutis! This is just begging to be made :)
William Delvalle says:
Apr 8, 2011
The combination of the nectarine and cherries in clafoutis are brilliant! If this is your first post, then I might say that you did a very good job. I try this myself :)
Dianne Cris Becker says:
Apr 9, 2011
Nice food preparation and very simple instructions on how to make it. Yes, I will make one in my free time, I think it’s also delicious just like the pictures.
Greg says:
Apr 12, 2011
“Hard to believe that this is your first post, it’s gorgeous & perfect in every way. The setting, the concept & the clafoutis…STUNNING! Your blog is beautiful Megan.
Cheers Deeba”
I seconded this comment . I’m a frustrated cook maybe ill try one of this. thanks to you