Clafoutis
Clafoutis is a traditional French dessert — something between a pie and a casserole, traditionally made with cherries baked in a custard-like batter.
Ingredients
- 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
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.
Traditionally the pits are left in — they're said to give the dessert a special almond aroma. But if making it for children or guests, it's better to remove the pits — just let people know in advance.
Most likely the batter was mixed too vigorously (gluten developed) or baked at too high a temperature. Mix the batter only until smooth and bake at 180°C.
Traditionally warm, straight from the oven — it's fluffy and tender then. Cold clafoutis is also delicious, but becomes denser. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
In the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap — up to 2 days. It's best to reheat in the oven at 150°C for 5–7 minutes rather than the microwave — this preserves the texture.
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Comments (1)
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.