cherry almond dutch baby from smitten kitchen

Adapted from Sunset Magazine

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Let’s talk about almonds for a minute: I think those waxy, often stale, and flavorless cream-colored discs sold as sliced almonds are absolutely terrible tasting — from the package. But I buy them anyway because they are so magically transformed by toasting, becoming crisp, sweet and intensely fragrant, that I want to put them on everything when I’m not eating them straight. Please, do not go easy on your almonds; spread them on a tray, bake them for 8 to 10 minutes at 350, tossing them around once or twice for even color, and not taking them out until they’re deeply golden brown. Make more than you’ll need so you’ll have them for everything else (like broccoli slaw!).

3 large egg
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (more or less to taste)
Pinch of salt
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups pitted sweet cherries
1/2 cup sliced almonds, well-toasted
Powdered sugar
Lemon wedges

Heat oven to 425°F. Whisk egg, sugar, flour, milk, extract and salt together until the batter is blended but lumpy; you can also do this in a blender. In a 12-inch ovenproof frying pan, melt butter. Add cherries and cook until warmed, about 2 minutes. Pour in batter and transfer to heated oven. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and rumpled-looking. (I err on the side of more cooking time with these pancakes, because I find the longer, within a range, they cook, the more rumpled and golden they get.)

Remove pancake from oven and quickly scatter with toasted almonds, dust with powdered sugar and squeeze lemon juice over. Serve in wedges, piping hot.  Serves 2 generously or 4 petitely