France · Sweet Dishes · Vegetarian

Clafoutis

Name: Clafoutis
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 28 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 600 g fresh or frozen cherries; 100 g flour; 150 g sugar; 3 eggs; 300 ml milk; 200 ml heavy cream; 1 bag vanilla sugar or 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 pinch salt; butter for greasing, powdered sugar for sprinkling

Clafoutis is a traditional French dessert — something between a pie and a casserole, traditionally made with cherries baked in a custard-like batter.

40 min 400 kcal 6 serves Medium🌿Vegetarian🇫🇷France★★★★★4.6· 5 reviews

Ingredients

ServingsMetric

600 gfresh or frozen cherries
100 gflour
150 gsugar
3 eggs
300 mlmilk
200 mlheavy cream
1 bagvanilla sugar or 1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinchsalt
butter for greasing, powdered sugar for sprinkling

Note from Sergei

Sergei Martynov

“Traditional clafoutis from the Limousin region uses unpitted cherries — the pits release a subtle almond-like flavor from their inner kernel as they bake, which is impossible to replicate any other way. The batter is essentially a sweet, custardy crêpe batter poured over fruit: thin enough to flow around the cherries but thick enough to set into a creamy, almost flan-like texture. Don't overmix — a few small lumps are fine and better than a tough, overworked batter. The clafoutis is done when puffed and golden but still slightly wobbly in the center.”

If using pitted cherries, add 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract to compensate for the missing kernel flavor. Dust with powdered sugar while still warm — it melts slightly into the surface for the classic rustic look.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease the baking dish with butter and sprinkle lightly with sugar.
If using frozen cherries, defrost and drain first. Spread cherries evenly over the bottom of the dish.
In a bowl, combine flour, sugar and a pinch of salt. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Gradually incorporate eggs into the flour mixture, whisking to avoid lumps.
Add milk, cream and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Gently pour the batter over the cherries.
Bake for 35-45 minutes until golden and cooked through (a wooden skewer should come out clean). Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

FAQ

Clafoutis works wonderfully with any stone fruits: plums, sweet cherries, apricots. You can also use pears, apples, or blueberries. The key is to avoid very juicy fruits (strawberries, watermelon), otherwise the batter won't bake through.

Share this recipe ★★★★★4.6

Rate this

Rate this recipe

Keep browsing

More dishes from the French archive — picked by overlap with what you're cooking now.

Appetizers and Sandwiches · France

Chicken Liver Pâté

Appetizers and Sandwiches · France

Olive Tapenade

Appetizers and Sandwiches · France

Oven-Baked Brie with Honeyed Nuts

Join the conversation

Comments (1)

Sergei Martynov✍ Author
29d ago
This clafoutis rewards patience. The cooling or setting time is there for a structural reason — cutting corners creates a result that looks the same but tastes disappointing. Let it rest fully.