A dessert recipe for a glut of cherries

This delicious dessert recipe makes the most of English cherries in their prime! (late July – late September). This recipe was shared by our partner, FoodCycle Kilburn, who opt for this dessert recipe (inspired by Guardian food writer, Felicity Cloake) when they receive a surplus of British cherries from City Harvest food charity. The recipe features in ‘A Taste of City Harvest’ charity cookbook, which is on sale now.

Cherry Clafoutis 

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 500g fresh cherries
• 75g caster sugar
• 3 tbsp kirsch or other brandy
• 20g butter, melted, plus extra to grease
• 2 tbsp demerara sugar
• 50g plain flour pinch of salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 270ml whole milk
• 3 drops of almond essence (optional)
• Finely grated zest of ½ lemon

Method:

1. Wash the cherries and if you like. Remove the stalks and pits (do this by cutting them in half and removing the pits).
2. Add 2 tbsp caster sugar and the kirsch and toss together, cover and leave to macerate for two hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 6.
4. Grease a baking dish just wide enough to hold the cherries in one layer and add half the demerara sugar.
5. Spin the dish round to coat the inside with demerara, then set aside.
6. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add a pinch of salt and the remaining caster sugar.
7. Whisk in the eggs, followed by the milk and melted butter, until you have a smooth batter. Stir in the almond essence, if using, and the lemon zest, then tip in the cherries and their juices.
8. Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake for about half an hour, until just set but still a bit wobbly. Sprinkle with the remaining demerara sugar and serve warm, rather than hot.