The church bells rang at four o’clock. The afternoon felt warm, noticeably milder than some of the chillier days in May.
“Bing bang!” Lulu cried with a smile. She was used to the steady rhythm of the village bells, chiming at every hour—one o’clock, one thirty, two o’clock. I spread a blanket under the cherry tree and settled down.
Lulu collected pebbles and dropped them one by one into a small metal bucket my father keeps outside. A gentle breeze threaded through the leaves and caught her attention. I looked up and saw patches of red hidden among the foliage—proof the cherries were finally ripening.
“On les cueille dans quelques jours?” I asked my father as he passed by. He’d scolded me earlier for stealing a few unripe cherries, warning, “Tu vas avoir mal au ventre,” in that gentle, fatherly tone.
Did I care? Fresh cherries are a weakness. Fruit picked straight from the tree feels essential. I was happy to be there at this late-starting season, watching the trees finally deliver their bounty.
The next day my father leaned a ladder against the tree and started picking. After an hour we had several buckets filled with glossy, ripe cherries.
Lulu watched from a short distance, running back and forth with excitement, offering cherries to anyone who would accept one. My father lifted her up close to the branches. “Prends une cerise,” he whispered, encouraging her to pick a few herself. Hesitant at first, she reached out and plucked a bright red cherry, the proud look on her face unforgettable.
“Je fais un dessert aux cerises ce soir?” I asked—shall I make a cherry dessert?
There was no need to ask twice. After salads and grilled venison steaks we finished the meal with cherries baked in an almond flan made from eggs, sugar, butter, cream and almond meal. It was a simple, quick dessert—perfect to close an outdoor dinner with grass under our feet.
Ah, the first cherries of the season!
You need:
- 2 large eggs
- 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, slightly cooled
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon almond meal, or finely ground blanched almonds
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon blond cane sugar (or light brown sugar)
- 1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out, or 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2.5 tablespoons crème fraîche or mascarpone
- 12.5 oz cherries
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and butter four small (5-inch / 12.5 cm) oven-proof ramekins. Wash the cherries and pit them if you prefer; set aside.
- In a bowl, mix the melted butter with the almond meal, vanilla seeds and sugar until evenly combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating each fully, then beat in the crème fraîche or mascarpone.
- Divide the batter among the ramekins and arrange cherries on top. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the custard is set and lightly golden. Let cool briefly—these are lovely served lukewarm.
Ingrédients :
- 2 gros œufs
- 60 g de beurre non salé fondu, légèrement refroidi
- 60 g de poudre d’amandes
- 60 g de sucre de canne blond (ou sucre Demerara)
- 1/2 gousse de vanille, grattée, ou 1/2 càc d’extrait de vanille
- 2,5 càs de crème fraîche ou mascarpone
- 350 g de cerises
Préparation :
- Préchauffez le four à 200 °C et beurrez quatre ramequins (12,5 cm). Lavez les cerises et dénoyautez-les si vous le souhaitez ; réservez.
- Dans un bol, mélangez le beurre fondu, la poudre d’amandes, la vanille et le sucre jusqu’à obtenir une préparation homogène.
- Incorporez les œufs un à un, puis la crème fraîche ou le mascarpone.
- Répartissez la préparation dans les ramequins et disposez les cerises sur le dessus. Faites cuire 20 minutes, jusqu’à ce que le dessus soit doré. Laissez tiédir avant de servir.