Clafoutis
Instructions
Tips
Pitting cherries might scare some people off from trying out a cherry clafoutis recipe like this, but it does not have to a chore – it is actually quite easy. Start by removing the stem and washing your cherries. Now place a cherry over the opening of a small bottle and use a sturdy straw (for instance, a reusable one made from stainless steel), a decorating tip, a chopstick, or a toothpick to push the pit out of the fruit and into the waiting bottle beneath. This way the cherry pits are neatly collected in the bottle, making it very easy for you to discard them during clean-up.
Tips
The trick can of course be performed without the use of a bottle if you cannot find one you think is size appropriate. The trick is to simply apply pressure at the point where the steam used to be attached to the cherry and push through until the pit is removed. This way of pitting cherries to prepare your cherry clafoutis filling is quick and easy.
Questions about cherry clafoutis
Baking a mouth-watering cherry clafoutis is quite simple with our easy recipe. Read on to learn more about the process of making and baking this delicious dessert.
Ingredients
|
Fresh cherries
|
½ kilo |
|---|---|
|
Flour
|
100 g |
|
Whole milk
|
½ litre |
|
Sugar
|
100 g |
|
Eggs
|
4 |
|
Egg yolks
|
2 |
|
Cognac or rum
|
2 tbsp |
|
Icing sugar
|
Cherry clafoutis – a classic dessert pie
The French cuisine is overflowing with wonderful recipes for cakes, pies, and dessert, and this delicious cherry clafoutis recipe is no exception. This classic dessert cherry pie is great to serve after dinner as the big finish to a delicious meal or as the companion to your favourite hot beverage in the afternoon.
Our clafoutis with cherries is both sweet and tart, and the addition of a small amount of alcohol adds a depth to the flavour that makes it even more interesting to dig into. Serve the scrumptious dessert cool and sprinkled with icing sugar. Add some acidity and brightness by serving it with a dollop of crème fraiche or yoghurt to balance its sweetness or go all in on said sweetness and top it off with some cold and airy whipped cream.
French cherry pie with a soft, custardy texture
The clafoutis is often described as a French cherry pie, but it has a much more custard-like consistency than what you would expect from a classic recipe for cherry pie. Though the edges may become wonderfully crispy and caramelised as it is baked, the overall texture is more reminiscent of soft desserts like flan, pudding, or soufflé. In this soft, moist, and almost creamy pie, the baked batter and the soft pieces of cherry nearly seem to melt in your mouth.
Has this delicious description of what makes cherry clafoutis so special made you curious to try out other classic French desserts? Then you should have a look at our wonderful and easy French recipes for crème brûlée or crêpes suzette.
Delight in a tart and sweet cherry clafoutis
With our recipe for cherry clafoutis, you can make a dessert that truly celebrates the delicious cherries. Which type of cherry you choose to use will have a big impact on the flavour profile and nuances of the dessert. Traditionally, a clafoutis is made using black cherries also sometimes called sweet cherries. Using this type of fruit will make for a sweet experience. Using sour cherries, known for their characteristic bright, red colouring, will make for a quite sour cherry pie that is bright and vivid in its flavour.
No matter which type of cherry you decide to go for, you will be in for a delightful dessert that is both sweet and tart – it is simply a question of whether you want to play up the natural sweetness or tartness of the versatile, little fruit.
If you cannot get enough of cherries and want to try your hand at more wonderful desserts or afternoon treats, have a look at our recipe for chocolate cherry cake too.
Experiment with different berries and fruits
Though the French dessert is usually made with delicious, ripe cherries, experimenting with the use of other berries and fruits in a clafoutis is highly recommended as well. This means that you can bake and serve this French classic all year round, using the produce available in your local shops or the summer treats stored in your freezer.
Delicious twists on a clafoutis recipe involves replacing the cherries with berries like blueberry, blackberry, raspberry. Combining a sweet berry like the blueberry with a tarter fruit like rhubarb is also an option. Doing so will balance the berry's natural sweetness if you are afraid your dessert might end up too far on the sweet side. You can, of course, also create your own mix of wonderful fresh or frozen berries to perfectly suit your preferences.
Using apples, pears, or peaches is also an option either on their own or combined with the cherries. This gives a wonderful fruitiness and some more structure to the clafoutis.
