A classic French dessert that pairs creamy, rich custard with juicy cherries, this cherry clafoutis is a low-effort sweet treat that looks gorgeous and tastes even better. You only need 10 minutes to prepare it and then you can enjoy the amazing aroma in the kitchen while it bakes.
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The egg-based custard includes vanilla and lemon while the cherries on top offer not only a pop of color but also a fruity contrasting flavor. This is a dessert for fruit fans as well as those who love creamy custard. And if you like both of those? You are going to enjoy this!
A slice of clafoutis, topped with powdered sugar, is so good served with a cup of coffee as a late-morning treat. It’s also perfect for anything from a fun afternoon tea party to an after-dinner dessert.
Are you a cherry fan? Then you have to try my easy cherry apple crisp or this delicious chocolate cherry fudge or these cute cherry cupcakes.
Main Ingredients
This traditional French dessert is often made with black cherries, but it’s also amazing with red cherries. Here are some of the key ingredients you will need to make this dessert:
- Cherries: To add a fruity touch. Pitted fresh cherries are the star of this recipe. For the best result, use fresh and perfectly ripe ones. You can use red or black cherries, but make sure they’re all pitted before using them. Don’t love cherries? You can use crushed grapes, chopped pear or peach, or another type of fruit in their place.
- Eggs: An important component of the custard. I recommend using medium-sized eggs. Large ones might (or might not) throw off the flour-to-egg ratio and affect the texture while extra-large ones certainly would.
- Vanilla extract: To perfectly flavor the custard. Use vanilla extract (not the synthetic kind!) or vanilla paste if you prefer. Although another extract would work in its place, vanilla is the classic, traditional flavoring for homemade custard and also for clafoutis.
- Confectioners’ sugar: To garnish the finished dessert. Confectioners’ sugar, which is the same thing as powdered sugar and icing sugar, is the only garnish you need for this already beautiful dessert. I like to sift it through a sieve onto the dessert because if you don’t sift it, you might get lumps.
- Lemon zest: A contrasting flavor. Lemon adds a slight acidic bite to the flavor of the custard. Without it all you would taste is sweetness. The bright zing of lemon adds a fruity, delicious flavor. If you want, you can substitute orange or lime zest instead.
- Milk: For the custard. I recommend whole milk since that gives the tastiest, fullest flavor to the custard. You could substitute 2%, but I’d still recommend full-fat milk because it does make a difference.
Instructions Overview
Despite its elegant appearance, clafoutis is surprisingly easy to prepare. The first thing to do is combine the eggs with the salt and sugar. Whisk in the flour until smooth.
Add the milk, cream, and melted butter, and then the lemon and vanilla. Pour this mixture into a 9-inch pie dish and add the cherries on top before putting it in the oven.
The dessert will take about 35 minutes to bake. Let it cool a little and then sprinkle over powdered sugar and serve.
Common Questions
Yes, clafoutis needs to go in the refrigerator after it has cooled down because it contains eggs and is custard-based.
Leftovers will keep for a few days in the refrigerator, but if you freeze, it will thaw out a bit soggy, so it’s best not to.
If this happens, it’s typically down to cooking the dessert for too long or having the oven set too high. Also, make sure you’re using medium-sized eggs since a too-high egg-to-flour ratio can cause a rubbery texture.
Cherry clafoutis, and clafoutis in general (which is pronounced ‘klah-foo-TEE’ in case you’ve never studied French), hails from France’s Limousin region. Black cherries are the traditional choice though other variations exist with other fruits.
If you have ever made oven-baked pancakes, they have a similar taste. It’s sweet without being overpowering and the fresh bits of cherry is refreshing.
Take your pick as it can be served warm, cold, or at room temperature.
No, it shouldn’t. The center should be moist rather than runny. If your cherry clafoutis comes out runny, it may be your baking conditions or that the cherries you used were too watery.
Absolutely! Take your leftover cherry clafoutis from the fridge and then microwave it for 15 seconds at a time until it’s warm. Alternatively, you can bake it at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes.
Chopnotch Tips
- Fresh ingredients are the key to perfect cherry clafoutis, so use freshly grated lemon zest and fresh cherries for the best results.
- Don’t be put off making this dessert because it’s so sophisticated. Honestly, it takes just 10 minutes to prepare. The rest of the time it’s in the oven.
- Clafoutis tends to puff up like a soufflé and deflate a little when it comes out of the oven. Don’t worry, that’s perfectly normal!
- Make sure you remove the pits from your cherries. You can use a chopstick to push them out to make the job a whole lot easier.
- Out of confectioners' sugar? No need to make a special trip to the store. You can use your food processor to finely-grind granulated sugar.
- Be careful not to over-bake cherry clafoutis. The texture inside should melt in your mouth with a creaminess. Check it with a toothpick so it comes out slightly clean and it will be ready.
Cherry clafoutis is a classic dessert from France made with egg custard and juicy ripe cherries. It’s special enough for a dinner party. After the 10-minute prep time, you just have to bake it in the oven and then serve it warm or chilled.
Related Recipes
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Recipe
How to Make
Cherry Clafoutis
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ lemon, zest grated
- 2 cups cherries, pitted
- confectioners’ sugar, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9-inch pie pan.
- Mix eggs, sugar, and salt in a bowl, whisk until combined. Add flour and whisk until smooth.
- Slowly add melted butter, milk, and heavy cream. Add vanilla and lemon zest, mix well until smooth.
- Pour mixture into the pan and top with cherries. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving. Top with confectioners' sugar.
Notes
- Fresh ingredients are the key to perfect cherry clafoutis, so use freshly grated lemon zest and fresh cherries for the best results.
- Don’t be put off making this dessert because it’s so sophisticated. Honestly, it takes just 10 minutes to prepare. The rest of the time it’s in the oven.
- Clafoutis tends to puff up like a soufflé and deflate a little when it comes out of the oven. Don’t worry, that’s perfectly normal!
- Make sure you remove the pits from your cherries. You can use a chopstick to push them out to make the job a whole lot easier.
- Out of confectioners' sugar? No need to make a special trip to the store. You can use your food processor to finely-grind granulated sugar.
- Be careful not to over-bake it. The texture inside should melt in your mouth with a creaminess. Check it with a toothpick so it comes out slightly clean and it will be ready.
