Pear and Dried Cherry Clafouti

A clafouti is a classic French dessert with a texture somewhere between that of a baked pudding and a pancake. In this clafouti, creamy, custard-like batter is baked over a layer of fanned pear slices; dried cherries stand in for the traditional fresh ones. The mixture puffs up as it bakes and deflates as it cools. Serve leftovers for breakfast the next morning, hot or cold.