Batter puddings, where fruit is suspended in a flour and egg batter, are one of the few acceptable hot puddings in summer. Some recipes are soft, like a deflated soufflé, others firmer and puddingy. Most, however, land somewhere between a Yorkshire pud and a custard tart. A clafoutis of cherries is probably the best known, though apricots and pears are used sometimes, too. You will need a shallow china dish.
The recipe
Set the oven at 180C/gas mark 4. Stone 350-400g of cherries. Lightly butter a 20cm diameter baking dish, then dust with a couple of tbsp of sugar. Tip in the cherries. Put 80g of sugar in a mixing bowl and beat in 2 large eggs, followed by 90g of flour, 150ml of milk and a drop or two of vanilla extract with a large balloon whisk. Melt 30g of butter in a small pan, then stir into the mixture. Pour the batter over the cherries and bake for 35 minutes, until puffed and golden. Remove from the oven and dust with icing sugar. Enough for 4.
The trick
Do stone the cherries, it's a drag, but worth it. (Blueberry is my favouruite fruit for this, but hardly traditional.) Sieve the flour, it will help the batter enormously. The dusting of the top with icing sugar is not a conceit: that extra hit of sweetness is really necessary. Like all batters, a short time at a high temperature is the way to go. Serve the clafoutis warm, like a quiche, with cream from a jug.
The twist
Swap the cherries for 275g of blueberries, blackberries or some cooked pears. Change a third of the flour for finely ground almonds. The result will be heavier and more grainy but with a more interesting flavour. Soak the fruit in kirsch before using. Use the blueberry version as a filling for a custard tart.
Email Nigel at nigel.slater@observer.co.uk or visitguardian.co.uk/profile/nigelslater for all his recipes in one place
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