Easy French Cherry Clafoutis
This traditional dessert, made with a simple batter and fresh cherries, is generally served slithy warm, sometimes with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. It’s one of my favorite recipe with cherries !
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If you want to try some of my other favorite French fruity desserts and bakes, check out this French apple cake or my rose apple tart (SO pretty). When strawberries are in season, why not make a batch of these summery strawberry tartelettes with crème patisserie.
What is a clafoutis?
A clafoutis (pronounced klah-foo-TEE) is a classic French dessert, typically made in cherry season. You can also make the dessert with raspberries, peaches, or blueberries and in winter with apples and pears – there are many kinds fresh fruit that will work in this recipe.
The word clafoutis is derived from the Occitan verb clafir or claufir, meaning “garnish” or “filling”.
The perfect clafoutis consists of a flan-like batter and is usually flavored with vanilla. I like to use a combination of lemon and vanilla in my clafoutis.
Some people choose to make their clafoutis with unpitted cherries. The idea is that keeping the cherry pits would enhance the taste of the fruit.. I prefer to use a cherry pitter and remove the pits. I find it makes this elegant dessert much easier to enjoy.
List of Ingredients: cherry clafoutis
This rustic French dessert is so easy to whip up and is made with basic ingredients you may already have in your pantry.
- Fresh cherries: I prefer to use fresh cherries, preferably ripe and full of flavor. Sour cherries are also fine to use, but you must add more sugar to balance the flavors.
- Eggs: Ideally, at room temperature.
- All-purpose flour: I like my clafoutis batter with a mix of all-purpose flour and cornstarch. For a gluten-free version, you can replace the flour with a gluten-free flour.
- Cornstarch: Helps the batter and base of the clafoutis hold together and and make it a little lighter. It also contributes to the delicate texture of clafoutis. If you don’t have cornstarch, just replace it with flour.
- Sugar: You need ordinary white sugar. Remember to up the quantity if you choose to use sour cherries. Caster sugar is fine to use if you don’t have white sugar.
- Milk: I prefer whole milk with 3% fat at least. You can choose to replace it with plant-based milk if you like.
- Vanilla extract: I love to use a pure vanilla extract that is high quality. Almond extract is an excellent substitute for vanilla, and goes very well with the taste of cherries.
- Lemon zest: It’s optional, but I find that the lemon zest adds an extra dimension to the dough.
You will find the exact quantities in the recipe card.
How to Make a clafoutis?
- Prepare the baking. Butter a baking dish, pie pan, gratin dish, or cast-iron skillet but buttering it and sprinkling sugar inside. This step will help the clafoutis develop a caramelized crust.
- Make the batter. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until well combined. Gradually add in the flour, salt, and cornstarch. Whisk continuously to avoid lumps. Add in the vanilla and lemon zest, and mix well. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking as you go. The batter should be liquid, similar to a crepe batter.
- Cook the clafoutis. Pour the batter into the prepared dish, bake for 10 minutes in an oven, preheated to 160°C (320°F). Remove from the oven, add the cherries, and bake for another 25 minutes until the center is still slightly creamy. Remove the clafoutis from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving.
- Serve. You can serve the cherry clafoutis warm or at room temperature. It pairs well with a dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop of whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
FAQ: Cherry Clafoutis
Yes, clafoutis is a versatile dessert. Try it with your favorite fruit such as raspberries, blueberries, peaches, or plums. However, traditional clafoutis is made with cherries.
Traditionally, clafoutis is made with unpitted cherries, as the pits add a subtle almond flavor to the dessert. However, it’s more common nowadays to pit the cherries before using them in the recipe. If you prefer to keep the pits in, be sure to inform your guests to be careful while eating.
Clafoutis is best enjoyed fresh and warm from the oven. However, you can make it ahead of time, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for a few hours before serving. Keep in mind that the texture may become slightly denser when chilled. Reheat the clafoutis in the oven at a low temperature or in the microwave before serving to restore its original warmth and texture.
Clafoutis can become rubbery if it is overcooked or if the baking time exceeds the recommended duration. Ensure you follow the specified baking time and avoid overcooking the clafoutis to achieve a softer texture.
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Recipe card
Easy French Cherry Clafoutis
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Equipment
- 1 round dish (23 cm or 9 inches)
Ingredients
- 4 cup fresh cherries , pitted (600 g)
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (60 g)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch (30 g)
- 1/2 cup sugar (100 g) + 1 tablespoon for the buttered dish
- 1 1/4 cup milk whole milk (300 ml)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 tsp lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
- Butter a baking dish and sprinkle it with sugar. This will help the clafoutis to develop a caramelized crust.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar and salt until well combined.
- Gradually add the flour and cornstarch if using while whisking continuously to avoid lumps.
- Add vanilla, and lemon zest to the batter and mix well.
- Slowly pour in the milk while whisking the batter.
- Pour the clafoutis batter in the dish and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, add the cherries and bake for another 25-30 minutes until the center is still slightly creamy.
- Remove the clafoutis from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving.
