Cherry Clafoutis -- Make this now!

Strawberry season is ending.  After gorging on strawberries,  we’re now in a big cherry season... but it’s peaking. Before they are gone completely, I must follow my annual ritual of making “Cherry Clafoutis.” As a lover of French food, I always make cherry clafoutis at least once this time of the year at home as well as at work. I love all kinds of custard desserts, but this one is very special to me, because of  some unforgettable memories that I don’t want to lose!

Cherry clafoutis is a very popular vanilla-flavored pudding -like dessert  that is best eaten at room temperature. It is studded  with cherries, but many other kinds of fruit can be substituted, such as apricots, raspberries or plums (I have a big plum tree in my back yard; they are ripening and should be ready to eat in a week). For French people this dessert is a must-make, or at least eat, in cherry season!

In France, they normally do not pit the cherries for traditional cherry clafoutis –it is enjoyed with the pits for the added depth to the dessert’s  delicate flavor. However, here in California the sun is so strong and the cherries have so much flavor that I often pit them; and particularly at work, so that I don’t have to warn our guests.

Cherry Clafoutis

Recipe adapted and modified from La Tartine Gourmande, by Béatrice Peltre

Serves 6

You will need:  one 12-inch clafoutis mold or six 8-oz baking dishes (ramekins)

Unsalted butter, for the mold

½ cup blond cane sugar, plus more to sprinkle in the mold(s)

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (200 ml) whole milk (not low fat)

¾ cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 large eggs

¾ cup all-purpose flour (or brown rice or sorghum flour for gluten-free clafoutis)

2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

1 pound + 5 ¼ oz (600 g) ripe sweet or sour cherries (such as Rainier or Bing)

Confectioners’ sugar to dust the custard

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter a 12-inch mold, or six 8-oz cup ramekins, and sprinkle with the sugar; tap the excess out.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and cream until just about boiling point and add the vanilla. Set aside.
3. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the sugar and flour. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the warm milk/cream mixture and melted butter. Arrange the cherries in the mold or individual ramekins and pour the batter on top.
4. Place the clafoutis in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or 25 to 30 minutes if you are using ramekins—until the flan/custard is set and golden in color. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.  Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve.

Cherry Garcia Ice Cream

Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, the weather has finally gotten hot. That means ice cream season of course, but cherries are in high season also. They have a short season, but are abundant in markets everywhere right now… sweet and juicy, and looking beautiful! I love to eat them plain, but then I get flashbacks of when I used to eat Ben & Jerry’s “Cherry Garcia” ice cream.

Ben & Jerry’s Ice cream was (and I guess still is) so popular with their unique combinations of flavors, such as “Chunky Monkey”, “Chubby Hubby” and “Mint Chocolate Cookie”, with a lot of nuts and chocolate… mmmm. I wasn’t so crazy about some of the others, with over-mixed flavors and too many ingredients. But I loved “Cherry Garcia” …maybe because I love cherries and dark chocolate. It’s a simple but great combination, which I always thought was a brilliant idea. Needless to say, it was often in my freezer.

However, as with Häagen-Dazs ice cream (I also once loved their “Rum Raisin”), Yoplait yogurt, and other brands that got so popular and then were bought out by big food corporations, the taste faded out quickly and, sadly, I had to find new sweet addictions.

Now those original tastes/flavors have become legendary, and I am grateful that I could experience and love them… like favorite old girl friends. To get that flavor/experience back, I now make my own. 

Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia Ice Cream

Recipe adapted from Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book (1987), by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield

Makes about 1 quart (4 cups)

Ingredients:

1/3 cup dark chocolate (bitter or semi-sweet) chopped into small pieces

1/3 cup Bing cherries, fresh or frozen, pitted and coarsely chopped

2 large, very fresh eggs or 4 egg yolks*

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup milk

2 cups heavy or whipping cream

Instructions:

1. Place chopped chocolate and cherries into different bowls and place bowls in the refrigerator. You want to keep all ingredients cold.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl whisk the eggs until light and fluffy. Whisk in the sugar a little at a time, and then continue whisking until completely blended.  Add milk and heavy cream and whisk to blend thoroughly. Place the mixture in the refrigerator and chill at least 2 hours.
3. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn/freeze following the manufacturer's instructions, about 15 -20 minutes.
4. When the ice cream stiffens, and about 2 minutes before it is done, add the chocolate and cherries, then continue freezing until the ice cream is ready. Transfer to a container and chill at least 2 hours.

*Note: For best results, make a custard first (instead of step 2):Mix the sugar and milk in a small saucepan and heat slowly over medium-low heat. Before it gets to boiling stage, remove it from heat, add egg yolks and whisk well. Bring back to the stovetop and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens, about 1-2 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a clean bowl and whisk in the heavy cream. Chill in the refrigerator at least 2 hours. Continue at step 3.

Chocolate Lovers' Manual -- Get yours now!

A couple years ago, I created a small “user’s manual” about chocolate. I prepared and then photographed several classic chocolate confections, plus some of my favorites. The “CHOCOLATE LOVERS’ MANUAL” was born with the help of a few chocolate-loving friends, and a lot of chocolate.

It took me over two years to make this manual, starting with the concept, then learning everything I could about chocolate, then trying to fit all that irresistible information onto one 12”x18” page, and then learning enough about professional food photography to create fine-quality photos for the other side of the page. And then the paper search! Finding the right quality of paper – smooth and velvety like a fine chocolate – was a monumental project in itself. Each step was full of discovery, and fully enjoyable. 

I recall the most difficult part of the project was taking good photographs. I read a couple books on professional food photography and took a short course in San Francisco on studio lighting and how to find affordable equipment. However, the most important result was developing a great collaboration and friendship with Rahul Parikh, a chocolate lover and amateur photographer like me. He indulged in a lot of chocolate after each shooting (in fact, it was always more than we should have indulged), but it was really hard work! I have still not thanked him enough for his help.

Since publishing the manual, I’ve received many compliments for both the photography and the amazingly-portable chocolate story that accompanies it. As I continued to melt into the world of chocolate, my brain became more addicted… not only to chocolate as a food and beverage, but to the whole idea of its impact on health, fashion, art, (music?) and more! So I decided to create a new blog dedicated to you – all the Chocolate Lovers whose hearts beat for chocolate.

CocoBeat Blog will be about recipes, of course, along with more tasty photography and chocolate-inspired stories/insights to enjoy. Meanwhile, follow this link to the “Cocobeat”

Stay tuned, and addicted, to CocoBeat! 

May 5th in Japan -- Boys' Day

Today is May 5^th. It is a national holiday in Japan and also Boys’ Day there. We put out huge colorful carp fish banners (Koinobori) on tall bamboo poles and let them “swim” in the blue sky, we display an impressive samurai warrior’s helmet (Kabuto) in the living room, and of course we eat the traditional Boys’ Day feast to celebrate the best season of the year.

I still have many memories of Boys’ Day from my childhood. The most special food of the day is called “Chimaki” – sweet red beans in the center of sweet sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves and steamed. It looks a little bit like Mexican tamales, but the taste and flavor is very unique and different. It is said that warriors carried it onto the battle field in ancient China.

Images of Chimaki

My life has been here in California for a long time, and nobody makes Chimaki for me anymore. Plus I became quite westernized. Nowadays fresh strawberries, dark chocolate and Sauternes are my favorites, and go very well together. Their taste, flavor and aromas are fantastic if you get the best quality, which won’t set you back too much. And the memory of them on your palate will last forever!

Sauternes is a very delicious dessert wine made from Semillon grapes in Bordeaux, France. It is one of the finest dessert wines in the world, and known for its taste, flavor and aroma.

More about Sauternes

 So, indulge and celebrate the best day of spring with three simple, memorable ingredients.

This is my wonderful kitchen assistant Masumi san. She always executes everything exactly as I ask.

French Cheesecake - Tourteau Fromager... You gotta make it!

Here in the Bay Area the sun is getting strong – more like summer than spring. We are having a long drought in California, and the green of winter/spring is already turning brown. My small backyard is more like a jungle than usual for late April… and at its unruly peak. Now is the time to enjoy the cool evenings, which make me think about warm French springs, fresh goat cheese, and… cheesecake!

In France you often see this cake in the cheese shop rather than pastry shops. It is made with fresh goat cheese and baked in a very hot oven, which is why the top is dark but the inside is soft and moist. If you are interested to see what the traditional/original Tourteau Fromager looks like,
check these images.

It’s nothing like the typical American cheesecake. I’ve been baking this quite often recently and never get tired of it; I think because it is so light, not too sweet, and perfect to eat with fresh strawberries (another one of my favorite things about spring). I enjoy a small slice of the cake with a good cup of tea, or even a small glass of Cognac or other bandy after dinner.

You may use Fromage Blanc (farmers cheese) if, like some of my friends, you don’t like goat cheese. Whichever cheese you use, this is sure to be une découverte magnifique!  

French Cheesecake (Tourteau Fromager) -- using soft fresh goat cheese

Recipe adapted and modified from My Paris Kitchen, by David Lebovitz  

For one 9-inch springform pan (serves 10-12)

Sweet pastry dough (Pâte Sablée):

1½ cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 large egg, beaten

4 ounces (110g) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

2 tablespoons water

Filling:

10 ounces mild fresh goat cheese (or Fromage Blanc)

2 tablespoons sour cream or crème fraiche

1 cup (200g) sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon Cognac or brandy (optional)

4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

Scant ½ cup (60g) all-purpose flour

Fresh berries in season (optional) as garnish

Preparation:

1.      To make crust, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a bowl, by hand), combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add the chilled butter and beat on low until the butter is crumbled and mixture resembles cornmeal. Add the eggs and ice water and beat until the dough comes together.

Gather the dough and shape into a flat disk. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to one day.

2.      Preheat the oven to 425F (210C).

3.      Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a 15-inch circle. Fit the dough into a 9-10 inch springform pan, lifting the sides of the dough and releasing it to ease the dough into the corner of the pan without stretching it, then press it gently to adhere it to the sides. Trim any overhang with a sharp knife.

4.      To make filling, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a bowl, by hand), beat the goat cheese with the sour cream, half of the sugar, the vanilla, and the cognac on medium speed until well combined. Replace the paddle attachment with the whip attachment and add the egg yolks. Beat on medium-high speed (or use a sturdy whisk and whip by hand) until smooth, then mix in the flour.

5.      In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites on medium-high speed until they hold their shape.  Add the remaining sugar and whip until the whites hold their shape when you lift the whip attachment. Fold one-third of the whites into the goat cheese mixture, and then fold in the remaining whites in two batches, just until you no longer see any streaks of egg white in the batter.

6.      Scrape the batter into the dough-lined pan and smooth the top.  Bake for 20 minutes without opening the oven door. Decrease the oven temperature to 375F (195C), and continue to bake for 15 minutes. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack, and then carefully remove the sides of the springform pan. Slice and serve the cake at room temperature.