This is an easy recipe but you need to allow 2 hours to complete.

Makes 6 serves. 

GET:

600 g cherries, fresh

3/4 cup caster sugar

1/2 cup plain flour

pinch salt

4 eggs, room temperature

2 egg yolks, room temperature

2 cups warm milk, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons Armagnac/brandy/cognac – optional

60 g unsalted butter, melted

zest of 1 lemon

DO:

Remove stalks and pit cherries.  (Save the cherry pits to make a heat pack ? see info below!)

Place cherries in a bowl with 1?4 cup of sugar and stir to coat cherries evenly.

Transfer cherries to a tray large enough for the cherries to sit in a single layer.  Place in the freezer for an hour.

Meanwhile, into a large mixing bowl, add remaining sugar, flour and salt.  Stir.

In a small bowl, add eggs, egg yolks, milk, vanilla and Armagnac if using, and whisk until well combined.  Then gradually whisk egg mixture into flour mixture and whisk until smooth.   Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.  Then, whisk in melted butter and lemon rind.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.   Place one ceramic baking dish or 6 individual ramekins into a baking tray. 

Divide cherries between ramekins or place in the large baking dish.    Pour in batter.

Pour boiling water into baking tray until water reaches one-third of the way up the side of the dishe(s).

Bake at 180 degrees for 30 minutes for ramekins/40 minutes for large single baking dish or until set. 

Serve warm.

NOTE: From a book called Tips from old Housewives compiled by Elizabeth Drury you can save the cherry pits to make a ‘a most excellent bed warmer’!  Eat a bag of cherries, wash and dry the stones.  Make a flannel bag.  Heat the stones in a hot oven for a few minutes.  Then put them in a bag and tie it up.  It should stay hot all night.’  Ironically when cherries are in season we don’t need a heat pack but make save the pits for the winter!