Cherry Plum Clafoutis Cups

Well hello June, it's nice to see you!

I like June.

June brings good things.

Official summer things. Like sun and heat. Dresses and sandals. Iced coffee and cold treats. Farmers markets and summery fruits.

You should know something about me. I have this thing with fruit. I eat fruit for breakfast. I fulfill my snacking needs with fruit. I make fruit fit swimmingly well with lunch, perhaps in a salad or on peanut butter, and into dinner, perhaps roasted and thrown in pasta. I always want fruit in my dessert, in any form really. And have we discussed how a $3 bag of Georgia peaches causes grabbings for bourbon? It's sort of a problem. Onto cherries and plums!

Let's toss them in a shortcrust, cover them in custard, and make clafoutis. Clafoutis is a French cake-like custardy dessert, traditionally made with cherries and without a crust in a full size tart pan or pie plate. But because plums look like giant cherries sans stems and because mini versions of things bring happiness and because I just love short dough so freaking much, let's make cutie clafoutis! Let's call them clafoutis cups! Yes, let's.

Cherry Plum Clafoutis Cups
makes about 12 jumbo muffin size cups

For crust*
400 g (about 3 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
170 g (about 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp.) granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
455 g (3 1/4 cups) bread flour

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, mix together butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla on low just until combined. Keeping mixer on low, add flour and mix just until the dough comes together and is smooth.

Remove bowl from mixer stand and gather stray pieces of dough together in the bowl to make a cohesive dough, being careful not to overwork it. Pour dough onto paper lined baking sheet and press into a relatively flat, even rectangle. Cover and refrigerate until firm enough to handle, about 20 minutes.

*I realize this recipe makes a ton of short dough, but have no fear, if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, extra dough can be stored in the refrigerator for about two weeks or in the freezer for up to two months. To use out of the freezer, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

For filling
9 oz. cherries, stems removed, pitted, and halved
9 oz. plums, pitted and chopped into large chunks
65 g (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
15 g (about 2 Tbsp.) bread flour
170 g (about 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp.) granulated sugar
3 eggs
120 ml (1/2 cup) heavy cream
180 ml (3/4 cup) whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or 1/2 vanilla bean (pod and seeds)
extra whole cherries with stems for garnish

Grease jumbo muffin pan and set aside. In a large bowl, gently toss fruit with 65 g sugar and set aside.

Take about 2/3 of the dough and roll out 1/8 inch thick. With a large biscuit cutter, cut circles of dough and shimmy into muffin cups, pressing into the edges and lightly up the sides of the cups. With a fork, poke the bottom and side of each cup of dough and freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.

While dough is in the freezer, position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Remove pan from the freezer, line each cup with foil, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and bake for 12 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and bake for 2 minutes more. The dough should be set and golden on the edges. Remove the pan from the oven to let cool while you make the filling.

Pour the fruit into a strainer placed over a large bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and sugar. Whisk in eggs and cream. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk together milk and vanilla bean paste or vanilla bean and heat until bubbly on the sides (i.e., scald the milk). Gradually whisk the hot milk (first removing the bean if using) into the egg mixture until combined.

Fill each cup to the crust's top with fruit, first a layer of plums topped with a layer of cherries, cut side up. Pour custard over fruit, filling as close to the top of each crust as possible without spilling over. Carefully place pan in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until custard is set. Let cool about 15 minutes then remove each cup to a cooling rack and let cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator. These are best the day they are made but aren't too shabby the next day either.