A clafoutis is a rustic form of a baked custard. It is traditionally made with cherries that still have stems and pits; however, I remove both from mine. I might lose a little bit of flavor but I like the convenience of not having to worry about biting down on a pit. You can make this clafoutis with any fruit. I especially like it with fresh or dried prunes. 

Ingredients
Butter and sugar for the pan
About 1 pound of fresh cherries, pitted and de-stemmed
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup almond flour (can substitute plain flour)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or your favorite liqueur
Pinch of fresh nutmeg
Powdered sugar for the top (optional)

You will also need:
Medium-sized baking dish
Medium bowl
Whisk

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Rub the baking dish with butter and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Spread the fruit over the bottom of the pan.

Using a whisk, whip the milk and eggs together until well-combined, about 1 minute. Add the flour and the sugar and stir together briefly, just to mix. Add the vanilla and salt and stir to incorporate.

Pour over the fruit in the pan.

Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until set in the center.

Remove from the oven and let cool.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving. Top with whipped cream, if desired.

Ingredients
¼ pound strawberries
¼ pound raspberries
3 fresh apricots
1 large fresh peach
½ cup superfine sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
3 T Cognac

6 T. butter, softened
1 cup superfine sugar
10 egg yolks, at room temperature
8 egg whites, at room temperature
¼ cup flour
¾ cup cold milk

You will also need:
Large skillet
Small saucepan
2 large mixing bowls
Shallow baking dish
6 individual soufflé molds or ramekins, 2 ½ or 3 inches in diameter
Colander
Paring knife
Wooden spoon
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Brush
Sugar sifter

Instructions
Wash the fruit and remove the stems. Cut the apricots into 1-inch cubes. Peel the peach. Cut into 1-inch cubes.

In a large skillet, combine the strawberries and raspberries with the sugar and lemon juice and cook briefly over high heat. The berries will render enough juice to dilute the sugar to a think syrup. Add the apricots and peaches and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. When cooled, stir in the Cognac.

Using 2 T of the softened butter, brush the inside of each soufflé mold. Pour ½ cup of the sugar into the first buttered mold, turning it to coat the bottom and sides entirely with sugar. Turn the excess sugar out into the next soufflé dish and turn to coat, continuing until all six molds are coated with sugar. Chill.

Forty minutes before serving, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. In a non-aluminum saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook over low heat for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add cold milk. Return to heat and bring to aboil for 2 or 3 minutes, whisking constantly. Then turn into a large bowl and mix in the superfine and vanilla sugars.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until well mixed. Add several tablespoons of the sweetened cream sauce to warm the yolks, then add yolks to the sauce, whisking well.

In a third bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Stir about one-third of the beaten whites into the yolk-cream mixture with a whisk. Then gently fold in the remaining whites, being careful not to deflate them.

Fill each of the chilled molds with the mixture and place them in a large baking dish filled with enough cold water to reach halfway up the sides of the molds. Place over medium-high heat untilt he water begins to boil. Then place in the hot oven and bake for 20 minutes.

About 5 minutes before serving, warm the fruit sauce over medium heat. Divide the sauce among 6 plates.

Remove the soufflés from the oven, unmold one onto each pool of the fruit sauce; or place on the plates in the souffle molds, make an indentation in the top of each soufflé, and spoon the fruit sauce on top. Serve immediately.

This Meyer lemon cake is moist, full of citrus flavor and delicious.  Enjoy it with a nice cup of tea.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour + more for the pans
3/4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
2 Meyer lemons
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
3/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
1 stick butter, melted and cooled

Glaze:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 Meyer lemon

You will also need:
1 Bundt pan or 4 small loaf pans
1 small mixing bowl
1 microplaner for zesting
1 juicer
1 large mixing bowl
1 whisk
Large baking sheet
Small saucepan

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease and flour the Bundt pan or the loaf pans and set aside.

Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt in the small mixing bowl.  Set aside.

Zest two of the lemons and place the zest into the large mixing bowl.  Juice the two lemons, as well, and set the juice aside.

Add the sugar to the lemon zest in the large bowl.  Whisk together to combine.  Add the eggs and whisk together until the eggs are incorporated.  Alternate adding the flour mixture, the sour cream, the melted butter and the lemon juice. Mix well after each addition until all are combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan (or pans). If using a Bundt pan, place it onto the middle oven rack and bake for 45-50 minutes until the top is firm when pressed. If using the small loaf pans, place them onto a baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes until the tops are firm when pressed.  Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

To make the glaze, combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat slightly and continue to boil for about 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat.

Zest and juice the remaining lemon.  Add the juice and zest to the sugar syrup in the pan.  Stir to combine.

Turn the cake out of its pan and set it upright on a plate.  Pour the glaze over the top and serve immediately.  This cake can also be covered and stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days.

Meyer lemons grow year round on my trees in Sausalito .  Yesterday I made this luscious, lemony sorbet.  It is so simple – with only three ingredients – water, sugar and Meyer lemons!

You can use any kind of ice cream machine.  I have a Cuisinart that has a compressor inside so I don’t have to freeze the bowl first. 

 Ingredients
1 3/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
4 Meyer lemons

You will also need:
Saucepan
Large bowl with ice
Microplaner (zester)
Juicer
Ice cream maker

Instructions
Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium and let it boil for about two minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat and put it into the bowl with ice to start cooling down.

Meanwhile, zest two of the lemons using the microplaner.  Drop the zest into the cooled sugar water.  Juice the four lemons and add the lemon juice to the cooled sugar water, as well.  Mix well.

When the mixture is cold to the touch, add it to your ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.  Then enjoy this tart, delicious dessert with your favorite cookies (perhaps a nice lavender shortbread).