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Cherry Clafoutis – Classic French Clafoutis Aux Cerises
18 days ago
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A clafoutis is a classic and traditional French dessert with sweet and juicy cherries baked in a rich custard-like batter.
This dessert is as simple as it can be to prepare. A delicious batter is poured over ripe cherries and baked to perfection. When taken out of the oven, it has an impressive presentation. It looks like a tart and is usually served warm, but it is also delicious cold.
The traditional clafoutis is the “clafoutis aux cerises” made from cherries. This recipe is originally from the Limousin region, near the center of France. It is rustic in appearance, with unpitted cherries spread out and served on a round oven dish.
Many versions of this original recipe are based on substituting the cherries with other fruits, such as strawberries or plums, and, most importantly, pitting the cherries so you will not spit out pits as you eat.
To Pit or Not To Pit, that is the question?
As you will notice when reading the recipe, I have left the pits inside the cherries. This is the traditional way to enjoy them and the only way I have ever had them growing up.
As children, we used to love seeing how many cherry pits we had on our plate after we had finished our portion. It was the only time that our table manners were bent, and we could touch and spit something out while eating.
However, let your family and guests know they will encounter pits with each bite. Of course, you can remove them if you wish or have small children at your table.
I found that removing the pits results in losing a lot of cherry pulp. Also, the pit has an almond flavor, which is released while baking. However, if you remove the pits, save all the juices and add them to your custard.
Simple ingredients – Besides the cherries, all the other ingredients are a kitchen staple.
Super delicious—It is hard to describe the taste of this dessert, but between the juicy cherries and the custard, you will fall in love with it.
Easy to prepare – besides a bowl and a whisk, it takes no time to assemble it.
Party perfect – Thisis the perfect party dessert, and you do not have to refrigerate it. My only advice is to either remove the pits or let everyone know there are pits. You do not want a broken tooth.
Not too sweet – with all French desserts, this dessert is not too sweet, and the sweetness comes from the fruits.
Ingredients needed to make this clafoutis recipe
This is a short introduction. The ingredient list is also brief. It includes essential items that you may already have in your pantry. Please read the recipe for complete instructions.
Sweet cherries – black cherries that are the sweeter are the best.
Unsalted butter – I always use unsalted butter in my cooking or baking to control the amount of sodium. Salted butter not only adds too much salt to your dish, but it also changes the flavor. It is used to coat the baking dish, and part of it is melted and added to your batter. Make sure that the melted butter has cooled off before adding it to the egg mixture.
Sugar – a touch more sweetness added, but this dessert is not too sweet.
Large eggs – with the milk, create the custard.
All-purpose Flour – binding the eggs and milk to create a cake-tart-like filling.
Whole milk – creates a light custard. Do not substitute, or your dessert will not come out as intended, texture-wise and taste-wise.
Vanilla extract – just a dash
Pinch of Salt
Powdered sugar – this is optional but gives it an excellent presentation.
Step by step on how to make this delicious clafoutis
With all my recipes, please assemble all the ingredients before starting cooking and baking.
This recipe will come together quickly.
Start by:
Butter your baking dish and place it in the refrigerator until ready. I sprinkled some sugar over the butter. This step is optional but creates a sweet base.
Melt the remaining butter and set aside to cool off.
Wash your cherries.
Preheat your oven.
Preparing your custard by:
Whisk or blend the eggs and sugar. Slowly add the flour and just enough milk to allow the mixture to become smooth. Stir in all the other ingredients and mix well until
Assembling your clafoutis
Remove your mold from the refrigerator, spread the cherry on the bottom, and pour the batter over it.
Place your clafoutis into a sheet pan in case of overflow and bake for 40 minutes.
If you leave the cherry pits in and wish to have a rich ruby red custard, poke a few of your cherries with the tip of a sharp knife. While baking, the juice will be released in your custard, giving it a nice coloring and an added layer of flavor.
I strongly suggest using your mixer to whisk the eggs and sugar so it will create a rich custardy cream.
Let the butter rest and cool off after melting it. This will prevent some early cooking and breaking down of your custard.
Place your baking dish over a baking sheet to prevent any spillage from overflowing on the bottom of your oven.
This clafoutis can be the grand finale to…
This fantastic dessert is the grand finale to any French meal. You do not need a special occasion to prepare it—it is perfect for a Sunday family night dinner or just as a fun surprise in the middle of the week.
Here are a few suggestions for you to enjoy the French experience:
Start with our favorite Carrot Salad. Proceed with Fresh Tomato Quiche. Do not forget a platter with a couple of cheese selections and then your long-awaited dessert.
Another suggestion is Caramelized Garlic and Goat Cheese Tart, along with Green Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette
And lastly, Coquilles St Jacques for a more formal dinner, or Tarragon Chicken
½ teaspoon Almond extract, to be added to the batter
Instructions
Butter a 10-inch round baking dish and refrigerate until ready to use.
Melt the remaining butter and set aside.
Wash the cherries and set aside.
Whisk the sugar and eggs in a mixing bowl. Add the flour and just enough milk so the mixture gently works to a smooth texture. Gently stir in the rest of the milk, the salt, the vanilla extract, and melted butter.
Preheat oven to 350F. Spread the cherries on the bottom on the baking dish and pour over the batter. Put the dish with the clafoutis on a sheet pan in case of overflow, and bake for 40 minutes,
Let it cool slightly before serving.
Equipment Needed
I only suggest products that I use and love.
Mixing bowl
10-inch round baking dish or cast iron pan
Whisk or a blender
If you enjoy this cherry clafoutis recipe, you may want to try my other recipes.
Cauliflower with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes
Duck Breast with Port and Cherry Sauce
Fresh Tomato Quiche – A Delicious and Easy Recipe
Pork Tenderloin with Blue Cheese and Dried Cherry Salsa
Do you like this recipe?
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I am a passionate cook, recipe developer, author, and food photographer with 14 years of food blogging experience. Inspired by my French and Italian heritage, I work with other chefs, both foreign and domestic, and have had countless discussions with chefs at famous restaurants globally. I enjoy sharing these creative culinary delights in simple, straightforward, easy-to-understand recipes.
Please read my privacy policy for more info. I only recommend the products that I love and use. This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
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