Cherry Clafoutis: the simple recipe for the classic French dessert
Cherry clafoutis is a wonderful custardy dessert that's surprisingly easy to make. This elegant dish is a fantastic way to make the most of fresh summer cherries, but you could just as easily make it with frozen cherries the rest of the year. Clafoutis is a traditional French dessert from Limousin, where locals use plump black cherries in the recipe. You'll find variations made from red cherries, plums, berries, and other fruits. Lightly sweet with a decadent custardy texture, it takes just 15 minutes of prep, plus about half an hour in the oven. It's the perfect effortless summer dessert to make when you're looking to impress guests.
How to Make Cherry Clafoutis
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Grease your baking dish with butter. Add the slivered almonds, then place the cherries in a single layer over the bottom of the dish.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, and brown sugar. Once smooth, add the flour and salt, whisking to combine, then stir in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and milk.
Gently pour the batter into the baking dish.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. To check for doneness, stick a toothpick in the center of the clafoutis. It should come out clean, and the edges should be lightly browned.
Remove the clafoutis from the oven and set it on a cooling rack. Once cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Should Clafoutis be Runny?
The perfect cherry clafoutis is custardy, not runny. It'll be moist, but the center shouldn't be liquid or runny. Too much fruit can cause runny clafoutis, so if the center of your clafoutis is uncooked after baking, you may want to use less fruit in the future.
How to Store Frozen Cherry Clafoutis
To freeze your clafoutis, let it cool completely then tightly wrap it with cling film and place in the freezer. It will last up to a month. To defrost, leave it in the fridge overnight.
Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Grease your baking dish with butter. Add the slivered almonds, then place the cherries in a single layer over the bottom of the dish.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, and brown sugar. Once smooth, add the flour and salt, whisking to combine, then stir in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and milk.
Gently pour the batter into the baking dish.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. To check for doneness, stick a toothpick in the center of the clafoutis. It should come out clean, and the edges should be lightly browned.
Remove the clafoutis from the oven and set it on a cooling rack. Once cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Notes
You can reduce the amount of sugar in this recipe to ¼ cup.
Don't have almond extract? Swap it for 2 teaspoons of Amaretto liqueur.
You can use either whole or skim milk in this recipe, but whole milk adds a lovely richness to this dish.
If the clafoutis is getting too dark while it's baking, you can cover it with tin foil about halfway through baking.
