Cherry Almond Clafouti

{cherries}

Ma Fille picked a huge bag full of cherries when we were in Petit Village....you know about it right? You've seen it on the map, yeah?

It's cherry picking time in the South of France and you can tell because the cherry trees that line the roads in Provence are heaving, branches slung low, dazzling with deep red jewels. Fresh cherries. Ma Fille took her share.

And after we ate all we could, some of us (the Baby) not bothering to spit out the pits (don't ask how I know this) I thought it was time to try a new recipe.

Cherries are like manna from heaven. They're on the more expensive end of expensive seasonal fruit so when you have a bag bulging with freshly hand-picked cherries you have to use them up.
I asked your advice on twitter and considered taking it by making a compote. In the end I decided on a clafouti.

If I'm honest I chose clafouti over compote because I like the sound of it better. And then I could say this: 'Why not enjoy a Miss Patouti Clafouti'?

Cherry Almond Clafouti

2 cups pitted fresh cherries

1/3 cup or 70g granulated white sugar
1/3 cup or 40g ground almond powder
3 tblsp. flour

2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup /8 oz / 12 cl cream
1/2 cup/ 8 oz /12 cl milk (i used half-fat)

slivered almonds
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350F/190C.

Pit your cherries. This is one of those times when you can get your zen on in the kitchen. I find these kitchen tasks quite absorbing and relaxing but maybe I just say that because I don't have a cherry pitter. It got kinda messy and now my favorite blue and white striped H&M shirt is spotted even though I was wearing an apron. Note: this is one of those times when a bikini under the apron would have been preferable.

{i heart my striped cherry stained shirt}

Put your pitted cherries in the bottom of a buttered or non-stick baking dish. I used a spring form cheesecake pan so didn't add the butter.

In a bowl, sift in the almond powder, flour and sugar and mix to blend.

In another bowl, whisk your two room temperature large eggs and then add in the cream and milk. Mix to combine.

Make a hole in the center of the dry ingredients bowl, pushing the dry mixture up the sides and gradually whisk in the eggy mixture. When it looks like cake batter, pour it all over the cherries.
Then, sprinkle on some slivered almonds.
And put it in the pre-heated oven for 40 minutes.

{ready for the oven}

A toothpick should come out clean and the spring form sides pop right off to release your Miss Patouti Clafouti.

Sprinkle on powdered sugar before serving.

Le Petit Village

I am proud to say that I have seen Le Petit Village. I have been to Le Petit Bar--met Fifty, the Parisian, Honey Jr., Child Bride, Le Petite Baby, Brother-In-Law, Vicky, and Gourmet Croupiere. You've not heard of her and this is my made up moniker but she's great; a friend of Sara and The Husband's who makes her own walnut wine, marinated wild mushrooms and an impromptu dessert for four of ice cream filled pastry with fudge sauce.

And of course there's Sara who I feel like I've known all my life. I always thought she and I were cut from the same cloth just from reading her blog but now that we've spent some time together I know it's true. She's like a blast of fresh Bestie air.

{me & my new bestie}

It's a strange thing, this living abroad. What happens is that you meet people and pretty much know if you're going to hit it off. You don't waste time in deciding because everything's all fast forward, English speaking, common connections bonding. Or it's not.

{La Gourmet Croupiere}

{view from the top}

My kids all have more than a small crush on The Husband, especially Ma Fille, and it's no surprise because he's so kind and gentle. My favorite thing was that the Middlest would only speak French with him and I sat there in awe of my son and how far his language has come in a year.

And then there's my French, which seemed to miraculously flow like the boxed wine as I told story after story. I really could not stop talking. Hard to believe I know, but true.

{Sara bartending...maybe this had something to do with my French}

Les Canadiennes came along on our Petit Village weekend so it was chock-full of kid mania and English speaking fun. I don't think the village knew what hit it and as I chased the Baby and the smallest Canadian around the cobbled streets trying not to fall and break my neck, crossing my fingers and cringing as they careened down hills, I wondered what the villagers must have thought. Oooh, la la there was a lot of English flying around those ancient streets.

{kids taking over le petit bar}

And then there's the food. You know that with me it's always the food. My favorite moments are when we're all seated, market chicken and potatoes served up with saucisses secs and fresh goat cheese, a glass of the pink stuff and laughter. Grateful doesn't begin to describe it.

Thank you, thank you to Le Petit Village and its welcoming arms.

Strawberry Cream--French & English Recipes

Ma Fille made this for dessert last night and it was heavenly. As usual we didn't completely follow the recipe--we're rogue apron wearers my daughter and me. 

I hope you  like what we came up with. 

Crème aux Fraises

500g fraises fraîches

25 cl de crème fleurette

2 blancs d'œufs

100g de sucre

1 c. à soupe de jus de citron

Lavez, séchez les fraises et équeutez-les. Coupez-les en quatre et mettez-les dans le bol du mixeur avec le jus de citron. Mixez jusqu’à l'obtention d'une fine purée.

Mettez la crème fleurette très froide dans un saladier et plongez dans un grand récipient rempli de glaçons. Fouettez au fouet électrique à vitesse moyenne. Ajoutez le sucre et mixez tout.

Montez les blancs d'œufs en neige très ferme à vitesse moyenne. Mélangez délicatement la purée de fraise et incorporez les blancs en neige. 

Répartissez la mousse dans 6 coupes à champagne et réservez au réfrigérateur jusqu’au moment de servir. 

Strawberry Cream 

1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries

1 cup or 1/2 pint of cream--in the US you should use half & half but in the UK use the type of cream you'd use to make custard or creme anglaise

2 egg whites

1/2 c sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Wash, dry and hull the strawberries. Cut them into quarters and put them in the bowl of a mixer with the lemon juice. Ma Fille used our handy dandy hand-held mixer for this. Mix to a fine puree.

Put the very cold cream into a bowl and then place that bowl in a bigger bowl full of ice. Mix the cream with an electric mixer on medium speed until firm. Add in the sugar and mix well.

Whip the egg whites until they are stiff with your electric mixer. Add the strawberry puree into the cream and then gently fold in the beaten egg whites.

Spoon the mousse into 6 champagne flutes and put them in the refrigerator until just ready to serve.