Cherry Clafoutis Recipe - Traditional French Custard Dessert

Easy Cherry Clafoutis Recipe - Why It's So Simple

Cherry clafoutis is one of the easiest French desserts you can make. It's a simple, rustic family dessert that every traditional French family makes to enjoy cherry season.

It's my Corsican mother-in-law's dessert she makes for my husband every time we visit in the south of France, overlooking the cherry trees at the bottom of the garden - they don't belong to them but they're allowed to pick a few and freeze some. So Madeleine has an endless supply of cherries to make this dessert at any time of year.

While this recipe is incredibly easy, I say don't make it without 2 ingredients: vanilla and that touch of Kirsch liqueur which just bring out that cherry flavour.

There's no blender or mixer needed - simply whisk the batter by hand, pour it over the cherries and bake. Unlike macarons or pastry, the texture doesn't demand precision.

What is Cherry Clafoutis?

Cherry clafoutis is a traditional baked custard dessert from the Limousin region of France. The batter resembles a light crêpe mixture that bakes around fresh cherries into a soft, lightly set texture somewhere between a custard and cake.

Pronounced "Cla-foo-tee", the word comes from the old French verb claufir, meaning to fill (from Larousse Gastonomique). The French word, Clafoutis, is occasionally spelled Clafouti in Anglophone countries, as the ending 's' isn't pronounced.

Gluten-Free Cherry Clafoutis

To make a gluten-free clafoutis, replace the flour with 25g (3 tbsp) cornflour/cornstarch (Maïzena in France) or use ground almonds for a softer texture and subtle almond flavour.

What Does a Cherry Clafoutis Taste Like?

Traditional cherry clafoutis is a light baked custard with cherries. Despite using eggs, it's not overly eggy - more like a delicate set cream, similar to a French crêpe batter once baked.

The fresh fruits are baked in the batter, which concentrates their flavours making them juicy. As we keep the cherry stones in, the result is a cherry dessert that explodes with natural flavours, with a slight hint of almond.

Many French chefs also create their own spin to the classic. For example, French chef, Anne-Sophie Pic adds cinnamon and butter to the batter. She pre-cooks the cherries and serves it with a cinnamon cream. Chef Philippe Conticini also adds cinnamon with hazelnut flour, orange zest and tops with a Speculoos (Biscoff) crumble. While it's good, it's straying from the traditional recipe.

What Cherries are Best for Clafoutis?

Any kind of fresh cherries are best for clafoutis. It depends how you like your cherries. Sweet dark cherries such as Burlat, Bing, Chelan, La Early Red or Black Douglas are perfect. They're juicy, slightly firm and hold their shape when baked.

If we're lucky enough to visit Antoine's parents in Provence during cherry season in the early summer, my mother-in-law, Madeleine proudly rustles up her Clafoutis with local bigarreau cherries, les Burlat.

We had a Napoleon cherry tree in the garden and honestly, they were so sour that we'd add too much sugar and it wasn't the same pleasure. So I wouldn't recommend, personally.

Can I Cook Cherries without Pitting Them?

Traditional cherry clafoutis is made with unpitted cherries. In the traditional Limousin-style clafoutis, cherries are baked whole, stones and all. There's no need to pit them first, just give everyone a friendly heads-up at the table.
Most will discreetly deal with the stones, unlike my husband, Antoine, who catapults them into the garden with a cheerful, "Heh, je plante!" (Apparently, he's single-handedly reforesting Corsica.)

Leaving cherries unpitted isn't just fuss-free: it adds a delicate almond note during the quick 30-minute bake and avoids the sticky mess of cherry juice everywhere.

That said, if you're cooking for anyone who's less cherry-stone-savvy, it's best to pit them. Use this cherry pitter - it's the best I've found, and it makes prep easy.

Can I Make it with Frozen Cherries?

Although much better made with fresh cherries, you can also use frozen. No need to thaw before baking. As they release more liquid, bake for an extra 10-15 minutes.

Can You Freeze Cherry Clafoutis?

If using fresh cherries, you can freeze cherry clafoutis. However, I wouldn't recommend it. Somehow freezing custards bring out their liquid and lose their flavour. So, although it's possible, if you can make it fresh it's preferable - even using frozen cherries.

Prepare the batter: combine the flour, vanilla, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Using a balloon whisk, gradually mix in the eggs until the mixture is smooth (you could use a blender but it's not necessary). This way there will be no lumps in the batter. Continue whisking adding the cream and a good splash of Kirsch.

Optional almond topping: I often add slivered almonds which toast nicely in the oven, adding a lovely texture - but this is not classic. Normally it's without but I love how the flavour echoes the almond-likeness of the cherries.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 35 minutes or until lightly browned and set. Leave to cool slightly then lightly dust with a little powdered sugar.

Do you Eat Clafoutis Hot or Cold?

A cherry clafoutis is never served hot, straight out of the oven. First leave to cool slightly and serve still warm, at room temperature or chilled. Serve slices directly from the dish.

Although served for dessert or teatime, we also love this chilled for breakfast or brunch on the weekends. As we never serve clafoutis hot, except for savoury clafoutis (see below), there's no need to reheat it.

More Cherry Clafoutis FAQ

Best Fruits for Clafoutis

Cherries are the traditional fruit for clafoutis, giving a soft, lightly sweet flavour as they bake into the custard. Other fruits, including berries, work well too. To prove it, I make the following constantly over the summer:

• Strawberry clafoutis - softer naturally sweeter (gluten-free version with almond flour)
• Raspberry Clafoutis sharper and more vibrant with ground almonds
• Blueberry clafoutis with lemon for a citrus twist
• Even try savoury: asparagus clafoutis with parmesan sauce.

Looking for more ideas while cherries are in season? Browse my collection of fresh Spring recipes including French desserts and savoury dishes.

More French Custard Desserts

Looking for more custard desserts like this? My e-book Master Crème Caramel includes seasonal twists including rhubarb clafoutis and other lighter French desserts inspired by what we make at home in France.